Through the Fire
by Doritos1996
Summary: Two years after the war, Zuko and Mai are getting married. However, an assasination attempt towards Mai and a bunch of Fire Nation haters starting a rebellion will make the couple's life difficult. Maiko romance! Lots of Gaang.
1. Chapter 1

_The finest steel has to go through the hottest fire._

**Hi, guys! Oh my God, I am back at fanfiction with a completely new story! It's been so long!**

**Anyways, I'll say more at the end of the chapter. Enjoy!**

The morning that just started could be described far from quiet. It looked like the whole Fire Nation was awake before the sun had even risen. The merchants were surprisingly eager to have their daily chores done before opening their market stalls. By the time the sun had risen, people were already wandering in the streets—going through the variety of items in every shop—kids were playing around, occasionally bumping onto the feet of adults and the town crier was already announcing the news with a big smile on his face.

"Firelord Zuko and Lady Mai are getting married this evening. The whole Fire Nation is invited to share the couple's joy!" Cheers accompanied the message the town crier shouted. People showed the excitement that a koala-sheep did when finding his favorite bamboos. So, they were pretty busy.

In the royal palace, however, things were even busier. The servants were running around in a state that could only be described as anxious. Despite the fact that the only things remaining were some minor details, they wanted everything to be perfect.

Ty Lee had arrived as soon as she received the letter Mai sent her, informing her that she and Zuko were getting married. The acrobat, being the overexcited, pink-aura kind of person, she insisted of taking care of the preparations. The couple knew better than to argue.

So, there she was, in the middle of the Ball Room, giving orders with a huge grin on her face. "That's almost perfect, Shyla. Just move it a bit to the left." She said to a servant girl, who was putting a bouquet of red roses on the white-clad table. "Perfect!" Ty Lee screamed, hugging the girl with usual enthusiasm.

In Mai's room, however, things weren't going so well. The usually-emotionless girl had turned into a nervous freak. She had tried to calm herself down, but the effort went in vain. She really wanted to get married to Zuko, even if this meant that she would have to tolerate with the Firelady's responsibilities, but she just couldn't help herself.

The thought that Zuko must been going through the exact same situation—if not worse—made the young girl smile. "Everything is going to be fine." She muttered to herself and, this time, she believed her words.

The servants around her were relieved that she finally seemed calm. They certainly didn't want to be around a girl who carried at least fifty knives with her, especially when that girl was angry.

"My Lady, your bath is ready." One of the girls informed her, before bowing and stepping aside.

Taking rid of her clothes, Mai stepped into the hot tub, determined to make this day the best of her life. Her muscles relaxed under the water's influence and that was one thing she was glad for. She needed to relax and let the happiness take nervousness's place. She had been waiting for this day to come long enough.

The smell of a combination of flowers hit her nostrils when a servant poured some soap in the water. "At least, I'll smell good." She mumbled to herself and smiled.

When she was certain that she didn't need any more scrubbing or shaving, she got out of the bath tub and wrapped herself in a towel a servant handed her. She gave the girl a warm smile.

"I am really glad your good mood is back, Lady Mai." The girl bowed in respect and Mai's smile widened. It was one of the rare occasions the governor's daughter smiled so warmly.

"So am I, Ayna." She said; her usually raspy voice turning into a soft one. "I guess this bath really calmed my nerves."

She allowed the servants to take care everything for her. One of them was taking care of her hand and toe nails, while two others had their way with her hair. They pulled it up in a single, big bun in a very elegant way, letting the straight bangs cover her eyebrows. The knife-thrower would usually complain about her hair, since she really liked the unique style of the two small buns. But after the wedding, she would be _crowned_ Firelady and the crown had to be put somewhere, so her hair had to be right.

Once done, they proceeded on putting on the dress. And that was no easy task. Mai gasped when she saw the multiple layers she had to put on. She was sure that she would sweat like crazy. The servants looked at her as if she would throw knives at them at any moment, which she would probably do if it wasn't her wedding day.

So, she just shrugged it off.

The dress was beautiful, she had to admit. It was a long, white dress with golden trim. Its color really surprised Mai, since it looked like the fabric had a shine of its own. It certainly was so much better than the dull red robes she was used to wearing. The neckline was deep enough to show off the traditional golden necklace she would wear. Zuko had told her that the wedding necklace was passed from generation to generation. It was his great grandmother's and Mai felt quite proud for being the one Zuko gave it to.

The first fabric was placed over her head, in a carefully way. She noticed that it was made of a cool material, and for that, she was grateful. Then came the wedding dress. Simple and elegant, it highlighted her slim, curved figure like no other. Ayna wrapped a golden sash around Mai's waist, making the dress look more formal, and then handed a wooden box to the future Firelady.

"Firelord Zuko wanted me to give it to you." Ayna answered when the young knife-thrower looked at her in question.

Mai examined the box. Her name was carved in beautiful handwriting and for a moment, she looked so enchanted by the box that she forgot she had to open it.

When she did open it, she let out a small gasp of surprise. She was certain that she had never seen something more beautiful and at the same time powerful in her life. In the box, resting on rich red velvet, was a dagger. The sheath itself was something Mai could stare at for hours; it was made out of gold and the fire nation insignia was carved on it with such delicacy that Mai couldn't help but wonder how long it took to be created.

Her fingers pulled the dagger out of its sheath, carefully. The blade was sharp and Mai show her eyes widen in admiration at the reflection. The brown handle was a masterpiece. Starting from the base, a golden dragon curled itself up until the end; its curves were just in the right size for Mai's fingers to fit in.

Being experienced with blades, Mai knew that this was no ordinary one. Agni knows how much attention the blacksmith put into it, and how much Zuko must care for her.

She twisted the blade in her hands, her eyes making out an engraving. "_I will always be there_." She read it out loud and a smile made its way on her lips.

"Would you like me to strap the dagger on your sash, my lady?" Ayna asked, braking Mai out of her thoughts.,

"Yes." Mai nodded, realizing how much more comfortable she would feel with a weapon on her. "That would be perfect."

The young servant nodded and followed Mai's order.

Ayna brought a pair of white slippers. They all knew that the dress would cover them, but still the shoes were beautiful.

Just when the servant was about to apply some make-up on Mai's face, Ty Lee peeked in the room and smiled, waving at Mai. The white-clad girl motioned for her to come in. The acrobat strode gracefully towards Ayna and took the make-up equipment away from her hands. "Will you let me do that, Mai? I really have a lot of experience on that, being a Kyoshi Warrior and all."

Mai shrugged. "Sure. Just don't make me look like a clown or something." She said, remembering Ty Lee's experience in the circus.

"Thanks!" She shouted and hugged her friend. Taking the soft brush out of his case, she ran it across a deep red paint. Slowly and steadily, she ran it around Mai's lips, smiling. "You really have a beautiful face, so I am not going to put much on you." She informed her. "Wow, Mai! You are getting married! I mean, was it, like, one and a half year ago that you and Zuko had no chance of marrying again? And look at you, now! So much has changed!" She squealed her enthusiasm out and kept on talking. "How do _you_ feel about it, Mai?"

Amazing, excited, happy. "Well, it will prevent me from getting bored for a few hours." Even that was a big declaration for the usually-emotionless girl. However, Ty Lee could tell from the way her eyes gleamed that she truly felt happiness and excitement.

After adding some black paint at the outline of her almond-shaped eyes, Ty Lee took a step behind and examined Mai. "You look so beautiful." She said, her eyes watering up.

"Thanks, Ty." Mai said, hugging the pink girl.

At the Firelord's room, things weren't much different. For Zuko, hiding his happy smile was an impossible task. Even though he was more anxious than Mai, the happiness that roared inside him like his inner fire was enough to shove the worry away from his face.

Unlike Mai, he wanted some privacy. So, he asked for the servant, Teeh, to wait out of the room while he was getting ready, in case he needed anything. The young boy was more than glad to obey. After making sure that his clothes were perfect for the ceremony, he got out of the room.

While resting in the hot water, Zuko let his mind browse through the last two years' events. He had struggled through his inner division, making more mistakes than he was aware of. But he had set things right and that was all that mattered.

A small smile played on his lips when he remembered the day he proposed to Mai, just two months before. The worry and anxiety that he felt that evening looked stupid to him, now that she had said yes.

_The sun had just set when the young couple reached the beautiful gardens, their hands entwined. Neither of them said anything, but Zuko's palms sweated as he went through his speech again. Mai looked at him with worry but didn't say anything. He was probably trying to figure out a solution for a problem the Fire Nation had. She mentally cursed his advisors for making him worried even when he wasn't with them. He never really seemed to be all_ hers.

_When they reached the turtle-duck pond, the young couple sat down, leaning against the tree trunk behind them. This was usually their favorite spot and they wouldn't change it for anything in the world. Zuko wrapped a hand around Mai's waist and she leaned on his shoulder, none of them saying anything. _

_Zuko looked down at her and he tried to consider the possibilities. If she said no… he wouldn't be able to take it. He just knew it. But he had to ask, it was now or never._

"_Zuko," Mai's soft voice brought him out of his thoughts. "Are you okay?" She asked, resting a hand on his scarred cheek. "You're cold!" She said in surprise—he was never cold. He was a firebender, for goodness sake. "Is everything alright?"_

_Zuko took a deep breath and looked at her. "Yes, Mai." He whispered to her. "Everything is alright. Everything is just _right_."He said, hugging her close to him. He pulled back and with a deep breath, he started. "Mai, for the first time in my life, everything is right! I have made so many mistakes; I have failed so many times. But, since you re-entered my life… it took the right turn. I love you, Mai." He had never talked more about his feelings in his life, but he meant every word. Changing his position from a sitting to a kneeling one, he took one of Mai's hands and pulled a small box out of his vest. "Mai… will, will you marry me?"_

_The young woman stared at the ring in awe. A red diamond was resting in the middle of the golden ring, looking as though it was burning. Then her eyes fell on Zuko's who was desperately waiting for an answer. She wasn't sure how to react; the happiness she just felt made her dizzy. As for Zuko; he just prayed to Agni that she would say yes. Before he knew it, she had thrown her arms around him, burying her face in his neck. "Oh, Zuko! _Yes_! Yes, I will."_

Zuko smiled once again at the memory and dried off before proceeding on getting dressed. His outfit was much darker than Mai's. It consisted of a white shirt, black tunic with golden trim and white pants. His boots were black, too. It reminded him of the Prince outfit he used to wear. Putting it on was much easier than he had expected.

He carefully pulled his hair up in a knot before putting his Firelord crown on. Looking at the mirror, he didn't see the young, spontaneous boy with the scar that he used to see. He saw a young man, marked by life's difficulties, both emotionally and physically, who had found his way.

And for that, he had to thank Mai. And his Uncle.

"May I enter?" A familiar voice whispered from the door.

Zuko's eye widened in surprise and he smiled. "Uncle!" He exclaimed, urging the old man in. "You made it!"

"Of course I did, I would not miss my only nephew's wedding ceremony even for the best tea in the world." He said before putting his arms around Zuko. "I am really proud of you, Zuko. Mai is a wonderful young lady. She is the only one that is able to handle such a broken nation and its hot-tempered leader."

"I know." Zuko said, brushing off his uncle's teasing comment. He then looked out of his window. He saw the sky turning into a deeper color and he felt some part of his inner energy reducing by every second.

"It is time, Zuko." Iroh whispered to the young man, pride and happiness clear in his voice.

"I'm ready." Zuko whispered back, smiling.

Mai took a deep breath before taking a step out of her room. The warden—her uncle—waited for her by her door. Mai knew that her parents were coming to ceremony, probably because they didn't want to ruin their political image, but she didn't want her father to accompany her to Zuko. They were both really mad at her when she stood up against Azula at the Boiling Rock, causing her imprisonment. And although things had turned out pretty well, they still hadn't forgiven her for her 'inexplicable behavior'.

With one hand around her uncle's arm and the other holding up her dress, Mai walked down the stairs, determined _not_ to fall.

"Watch your step there, Mai. We don't want you to get hurt." Warden Faisho [1] said in a soft tone, automatically holding onto her tightly.

Mai smiled. She wasn't sure if her uncle wanted to be there. As far as she knew, he wasn't one of those people that just loved Zuko. But it was the only option she got and he didn't complain.

Warden Faisho led her to a corridor which ended up on the palace's gardens. Mai smiled. It was Zuko's idea to have the ceremony take place in one of the palace's most beautiful gardens and she had found it just perfect. The guards stood proud next to the door and opened it for her. When the door was finally open, she could see that people stood at each side of the door—she shuddered when she thought of how many of them would watch her—leaving a space in the middle, something like a corridor, for her to walk on. At the end of it, she could see Zuko standing in front of two wrinkly men, the sages.

She smiled when she saw him look at her. It was time.

The warden put Mai's hand into Zuko's, as if giving permission. "Take care of her." He muttered, as he, too, stood in the side with the rest of the people. Mai saw that the rest of their friends had made it to the wedding. Aang beamed at her. Suki, Iroh and Katara waved, while Sokka was too busy crying his eyes off. Toph just smiled in anticipation, although she couldn't see anything.

Zuko squeezed Mai's hand and she squeezed back. "You look beautiful." He whispered to her and she smiled in thanks, before turning to face the two sages.

One of them spoke a few lines about how much has changed through the past two years, and how young love seems to push every bad thing away from someone's lives. Then, when he finished, the other one stepped forward, a golden-red book clutched in his hands. "We are all gathered here today, to celebrate the joining of Firelord Zuko and Lady Mai. Today, you shall be united with the bond of Agni and you shall both love each other, like the eternal flame of the Fire God burning deep into the world's core."

Zuko looked over at Mai and smiled once again. Mai smiled back at him, holding tightly onto his hand.

One of the sage's took Mai's right hand and the other took Zuko's left hand. Putting each hand on top of the other, they wrapped a red ribbon around them. "You shall be entwined under the condition of love, honor and equality. Just like fire and water co-existing in perfect balance, you shall maintain the balance through the rest of your lives, regardless of the differences and difficulties."

Zuko could feel his heart beating fast against his chest. It felt as though it would fly out at any moment. He really couldn't suppress the sigh of impatience that left his lips when the sage kept on rambling, without saying the _actual_ vow. All he wanted was to marry Mai; he remembered dreaming about that when he was a ten year old boy. And there he stood, eight years later, and he just wanted to make that dream come true. Was that too much to ask?

Mai felt a little bit of annoyed, too. The sage must have noticed because he stopped talking and proceeded on saying the actual vow from Agni's Chronicles. "Through fire you must pass, through the storm you must survive, through the earthquake you must stand, through the tornado you must stay alive, for love is fire itself—it either consumes or purifies." The other sage stepped forward and together they said: "Oh, great Agni, God of Fire and the Sun, bond the souls of Firelord Zuko, son of Ozai and Ursa, and Lady Mai—daughter of Governor Chonsin and Hiliana."

With that, they emptied the altar that stood in front of them, letting the soft marble glimmer in the sun. "Now, you shall seal your bonding." The sage said, freeing their hands.

Zuko took a deep breath and motioned for Mai to take a step back, not wanting to hurt her. She obeyed and watched as Zuko produced two small flames in his palms and created a circle of fire on the altar. She couldn't help but feel proud of him for being such a powerful bender.

When Zuko finished, he took a step back and nodded to Mai.

She smiled at him for a second before taking some steps back. Pulling the dagger out of its sheath, she looked at Zuko. He smiled in surprise when he saw the dagger. Mai, being an experienced knife-thrower, she threw the blade out of her hand and watched as it spun in the air before landing in the middle of the circle.

"The bond has been sealed!" The sage shouted, as one guard hit a gong, signaling that Agni had accepted them. "I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss."

The couple, without wasting anymore moment, closed the distance between them. Their lips touched in eagerness and they both sighed in each other's mouths. The happiness swelled inside of them. It made Zuko dizzy and Mai wanted to cry because of her bliss. Their lips moved in perfect synchronization, as if they were made to move together and they both enjoyed the feeling.

When Zuko pulled back, he put a tender hand on Mai's soft cheek and whispered: "We're married!"

"Yes." Mai said, not bothering hiding her grin. "We are."

**Okay, I had this idea on my mind for a while and being my awesome self, I just had to put it into words. So, I just sat down and wrote everything. Please, please, this is just my second AtLA attempt, so **_**please**_** I really need feedback. **

**And this is my first time writing in third POV and it just looks so… formal! But the story wouldn't work in first POV, so yeah. Does the third POV seem strange to you? Like it's too formal or something? I am not familiar with it, so yeah.**

**And I am almost certain that this is just a bit out of character. But, I have convinced myself that I don't care. No, I don't care if it's out of character.**

…**. (silence)**

**Oh, who am I kidding? I care so, so much! Please tell me… is it out character?**

**I know that it is so boring right now, but I promise that there will be so much more fluff, action and talking (because this one was just too much narrative) in the upcoming chapters. I will also try to make this as AtLA like as possible! I just feel like it's so formal and cold, without showing any kind of emotion.**

**Poor me, I am getting miserable again.**

**Anyone else out there who finds the legend of Korra unsatisfying? I miss the Gaang so, so, so much!**

**And speaking of the Gaang, we are going to see more of it in the upcoming chapters!**

**Oh! Here's a full summary of what this story is about:**

**Two years after the end of the War, Zuko and Mai are getting married. However, there will be a lot of difficulties that they will have to face. An assassination attempt towards Mai and some Fire Nation haters start a rebellion. Mai and Zuko try to stop them. **

**[1] Faisho is not the Warden's real name. It was never mentioned so I just made it up. I also made up Mai's parents' names.**

**Sorry for any kind of mistakes I have. I am not a native speaker, so yeah. **

**Till next time, stay flaming!**

**AND REVIEW!**

**~Dora**


	2. Chapter 2

**Yay! Another chapter! This one is much, much better! There's more gang and more fluff just like I promised!**

**Enjoy!**

The ceremony itself was brief, although it seemed like an eternity to the young couple. Zuko could finally let go of the anxiety he felt and let the happiness completely overtake him.

For Mai, however, things weren't over yet. Being the, now officially, Firelord's wife, she had to be crowned Firelady. She had to admit that it was a big honor, knowing that she would be respected by everyone as she had never been in her life. She would no longer be controlled by her parents or Azula.

"Now that the couple's eternal bonding is officially sealed, we will proceed to Lady Mai's coronation. My lady, you may step forward." Said one of the Fire Sages—Mai couldn't tell which one, since they looked a lot like each other. They reminded her of Li and Lo.

However, she did as she was asked and took a step forward. Zuko squeezed her fingers once more before letting go and stepping aside with the rest of the group.

As soon as she reached the spot in front of the altar again, the sage nodded. "You may kneel." He said, gesturing to a red cushion that had been placed for her in front of the altar.

Taking a deep breath, Mai pulled up her dress a bit and kneeled down on the cushion. Although the material was amazingly soft, Mai was under the impression of a big pressure. _This is it._ She thought to herself. She risked a small glance at Zuko, who just stood there, a ghost of a smile haunting his lips. He looked at her and nodded in reassurance.

The sage came out from behind the altar and stood behind Mai, his hands clutching the golden crown. "Repeat after me." He said in a soft tone before saying louder: "I solemnly promise to respect and serve the Firelord."

"I solemnly promise to respect and serve the Firelord." Mai repeated, knowing that Zuko would later use those words for his benefit.

"I solemnly promise to rule the Fire Nation according to its respectful laws and customs."

"I solemnly promise to rule the Fire Nation according to its respectful laws and customs."

Then the sage asked some questions. "Do you promise to stand by the Firelord's side and help him in any way you can?"

"I promise." Mai replied, her heart beating rapidly against her chest.

"Do you promise to always do what's best for him and the Fire Nation?"

"I do." Mai replied, paying attention to the 'best for him' part.

"With the power vested in me, I pronounce you Firelady Mai!" He said as he shoved the cutting edge of the golden diadem in Mai's hair. Mai let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding when she felt the cold material on her head. "Long live the Firelady!"

With that, she gracefully stood and turned to face the crowd. At this moment, she felt a little bit of happiness that her parents had treated her like a political tool, because without that, she wouldn't have been able to keep the emotionless façade. Zuko, however, could see everything she felt with just a look. And he always took advantage of that.

Every person in the crowd fell onto their knees as a sign of respect. Mai's eyes widened in surprise when she saw Zuko—the Firelord!—slip down onto one knee as well, his head bowed. "Long live the Firelady." They all murmured softly, their words turning into a chant that lingered in the air.

When Zuko rose, the rest of the crowd did. He stepped towards Mai—a little bit too eagerly—and placed his fist on his palm, bowing just a bit, his eyes never leaving hers. Mai did the same, silently thanking Agni that she didn't mess things up.

****oOo****

Getting married, obviously had to be accompanied by a huge feast with lots of laughing people and lots of dancing. Mai wasn't really keen on such social gatherings, but she made another exception for her wedding day.

So, there she sat, in the ballroom Ty Lee had decorated. She sat next to Zuko, in the middle of the line of tables. The red-clad chairs they were sitting on were pretty comfortable and Mai was glad for that. The day had really made her tired. "I have to admit that Ty Lee did a pretty good job." She said to Zuko, her head resting on his shoulder.

His arm tightened around her waist. "Yeah, she really outdid herself this time. There's no pink to be seen!" He said, putting a dramatic emphasis in the last words.

Mai laughed before placing a kiss under his jaw. Zuko shuddered at the tingling sensation her red lips left on his neck.

Both of them were really exhausted—in an emotional way—from the day's events. However, they ate little. They preferred showing affection in any _proper_ way they could to eating.

Mai smiled for what seemed the thousandth time that day. She remembered the day when she was just a nine year old girl, shoved into a fountain with Zuko on top of her. What an embarrassing day for her life. She remembered avoiding Zuko for days until he came up to her and demanded to know what he had done wrong. _'You are my only friend, Mai. I don't want to lose you!' _he had said to her. Just the thought of it made Mai smile wider.

"You seem to be smiling a lot today." Zuko noted, kissing her temple.

"It's my wedding day." Mai replied. "Is something wrong with that?"

Zuko smiled tenderly. "No, not at all. I like it when you smile." He answered softly.

"I will make sure I do it more often then." She replied at him, softly pecking his lips.

"Heeey! Look who's here, Suki! The Firelordyyy! And if it isn't the new Firelady sittin' next to him! What are you guys doin' here?" Sokka said, approaching the young couple's table. "Oh my Spirits! More food!" He exclaimed, saying the two last words in awe, when he spotted the freshly baked bread rolls on the couple's table. He dug in the food like there was no tomorrow.

"Sokka, let go of the food. You ate too much already!" Suki said, tugging at Sokka's hand. "Sorry, guys. He's drunk." He said to the couple, who looked at Sokka with wide eyes.

"You don't say." Zuko said, laughing softly at the sight before him.

"Hey!" Sokka protested, letting go of the food and looking at Suki with a stern look. He jabbed a finger at her shoulder. "Don't go around saying such ridiculous things about me. I'm never drunk!" He said, before stumbling a bit.

"Sure you aren't." She said sarcastically, supporting him before he could fall.

"Ahhh…" Sokka whimpered dizzily. "Why does the room keep going round and round?" He asked, making a whirling motion with his finger as he looked at the ceiling.

"Oh, haven't you learnt?" Mai said, deciding to tease him a bit. "You are in the magical chamber!" She said the words dramatically.

"Magical chamber?"

"Yeah!" She said, standing up so that she could point at an old lady at the other side of the room. "See that old lady there? She is a witch and she can grand you any wish!"

Sokka looked at her like a child looks when listening to a fairytale, before running towards the lady Mai had pointed.

Suki just shook her head and looked at the couple. "I could blame the wine, but he would do that even if he wasn't drunk." She said to the couple, shrugging. "Gee, guys. You are married."

"Pretty hard to take in, huh?" Zuko said, pulling Mai down next to him.

"Yeah! I mean… things change so quickly! _Oh Kyoshi!_ Sokka let go of the poor lady!" Suki shouted at Sokka before turning to the couple. "Sorry guys, duty calls me!" She pointed at Sokka, who was still tugging at the lady's robes.

"Good luck with that!" Mai said. She rested her head on Zuko again, watching Aang performing many dancing movements along with Katara. The young waterbender saw her looking at them and motioned for her to join. She hesitated a bit. Mai knew how to dance, but she didn't really like receiving attention.

"Come on!" Zuko beamed, grabbing her hand. "Let's dance."

"Guess I don't have a choice." She muttered to herself, although she was pretty excited as well.

Zuko tugged her to the middle of the room, where the crowd was gathered, dancing to the orchestra's music.

Before Mai had time to take a look at people dancing, Zuko grabbed her hand tighter and swirled her around. Even though she hadn't expected it, she stepped around gracefully, making her dress float around her. The flute joined in to the melody and the couple moved their feet at each note with grace. Zuko swirled Mai around once again, before putting his right palm against her left one, both of them circling around to the rhythm.

The music kept going and the excitement grew more intense as the couple swirled with Aang praising them for their ability to dance. Zuko was smirking and Mai was laughing so hard that she _almost_ forgot some steps.

Soon enough, Aang and Katara were dancing with them, everyone enjoying the feeling of freedom.

By the time the song ended, they were all exhausted. The newlyweds decided to join the rest of the gang in one of the guest tables. Their own 'royal table'—as Ty Lee had called it—was too far away to have a private conversation with their friends.

"I thought Fire Nation citizens didn't dance." Aang said when he sat down, Zuko and Mai following suit.

"That's what they want you to think and when they find the opportunity, they _attack_!" A slightly more sober Sokka answered, being ignored as always.

"Ozai had made pretty clear that he wanted every possible freedom banished from the Fire Nation. Being royalty, we had to know some basics in order to do the proper thing at Balls and feasts." Zuko shrugged.

"Mai!" Ty Lee shrieked, hugging her friend closely, careful not to destroy her hair or wrinkle her dress. "You were amazing up there!"

Mai blushed a bit and Zuko smiled at the sight. Mai was really expressing herself that day. "Uh, thanks, Ty!" She answered.

"You guys drove me crazy with all that feet-tapping over there! I almost got blind!" Toph complained, gesturing to her feet to emphasize her point.

"Technically, Toph, you _are_ blind." Katara pointed out, giggling a bit.

"You know what I mean." Toph said angrily, although she laughed afterwards.

"My nephew is quite talented at dancing, although he rarely dances." Iroh said, drinking his mint tea, stubbornly ignoring the wine and ale that rested right before him.

"It was a special occasion." Zuko said, placing his hand on top of Mai's.

"Hmm… special occasion, special occasion…" Mai faked musing, tapping a finger on her chin. "Now, what could that be?"

Zuko nudged her playfully on the ribs and nuzzled her neck while she laughed softly, pushing him away teasingly.

"Ah, young love! The only thing that brings hope to the world." Iroh sighed, taking another sip from his green liquid. He nudged Faisho who looked at the couple with joy—something really rare for the austere man. "Don't you think so, Warden?"

"Yes, wonderful thing indeed." When the whole group looked at him in surprise, he widened his eyes and coughed awkwardly. "Uh, I mean, it's not proper to show affection in public?" It was meant to be a strict advice but it ended up in a question. The gang laughed.

"Everything is amazing!" Aang exclaimed, taking another bite from his steamed buns. [1]

"And the whole party is really awesome!" Katara agreed.

"That's right! Ty Lee, you did a wonderful job. Thank you." Zuko said to the young acrobat, who smiled in happiness.

Mai proceeded on hugging the girl—something she didn't do often.

"I am glad you guys like it!" She exclaimed. Then her eyes widened when she spotted a guy nearby. "Hey, Mai. Don't you think this guy is kind of cute?"

"Sorry, Ty. I'm a married woman, now." Mai said in fake disappointment and the others laughed. Mai couldn't help but enjoy the feeling of the words on her tongue.

"Well, _I_ am not. I think he is looking at me." Ty Lee said, her whole face gleaming,

"Yeah, he does." Toph agreed.

"Do you really think so?" She asked; a hopeful look on her grey eyes.

"Sorry, Ty. I was just kidding. I am blind, remember?"

Katara saw the boy Ty Lee was looking and she smiled. "Oh! That's Haru! He's a pretty good earthbender. We helped him at some point."

"Do you think I should talk to him?" The acrobat asked in hesitation.

"Sure, go!" Mai urged her on.

"I really hope she and Haru get along." Toph said while drinking some beer. "He's a really nice guy."

"Well," Suki started. "If they don't get along there are some really cute guys here. She will be able to find one." She assured, waving her hand around.

"Cute guys?" Sokka asked in complaint. "But, _I_ am your cute guy." He pouted.

"Aww, look at that baby!" Suki said in a way she would talk to a child, pinching Sokka's cheek before kissing it.

"Sweetie, could you pour me some wine?" Katara asked, handing her glass to Aang.

"Of course, sweetie. Here you are."

The whole gang looked at the small exchange. Suki smiled knowingly while Toph snickered. Sokka was too busy screaming something about _the oogies_.

Zuko and Mai, however, weren't accustomed to the nickname.

"_Sweetie?_ Seriously?" Zuko asked looking at the couple with a raised eyebrow.

They both shrugged. "Well, I guess that's how we _unmarried_ people call each other." Aang said and the newlyweds laughed.

Iroh reached across the table and touched Zuko's arm to get his attention. Zuko stopped chuckling and looked at him in confusion. He squeezed Mai's hand and now Iroh had the couple's attention.

"I believe that you should honor some other guests with your presence." He said, motioning to a nearby table with a tilt of his head.

The couple's eyes fell on the table. Zuko's eyes widened in surprise and a little bit of anger when he saw Governor Chonsin with his wife, Hiliana talking with another couple.

"No." Mai stated plainly but quite strictly.

"Mai…" As much as Zuko hated those people, he knew that Mai should have the presence of her parents that day. It was important. He was one of those people that valued their parents. His own mother was lost somewhere and his father was locked in a cell, craving for power. He wanted his mother to be there, he wanted to see the pride in her eyes, and he wanted to feel her presence. But she wasn't there and the feeling was unbearable. He didn't want that for Mai.

"Zuko." She said softly, caressing his cheek. "I don't want them to destroy my day, okay?" She smiled softly.

Zuko nodded in understatement. "Let's just go and say hello. Then we will leave, okay?" He suggested.

"Listen to him, Mai." Her uncle said, for once agreeing with Zuko. "It would be impolite if you didn't."

Mai sighed in defeat. "Okay."

Zuko smiled and gave her a small peck before rising—their hands never losing contact. Holding hands reminded them of their bond.

Slowly but steadily the couple made it to the table. "Governor Chonsin, lady Hiliana. I hope you are both having a great time." Zuko said, bowing slightly. He tried to be kind for Mai's sake, even though anger could easily been seen in his eyes.

"Father, Mother." Mai nodded coldly to each one of them.

"My Lord…Mai. What a lovely couple you two make." Her mother stated as she were a stranger passing by. "We are indeed having a great time. The feast is really remarkable."

"Ty Lee organized the whole thing." Mai said with a small smile. She decided that she wouldn't let them destroy her happiness.

"Of course she did, she was always good with these things." Governor Chonsin said.

"We would love to have you over for dinner sometime, what do you say?" Her mother suggested. Mai wasn't sure if her mother really meant that or if she suggested it out of kindness.

"We would love to." Zuko answered for Mai when he saw that she was hesitating. "Enjoy the rest of the feast." Zuko said, tugging Mai back at the table.

"'_We would love to'_?" She asked.

"Well," he started wrapping his arms around her waist. "We would have to, eventually."

"I guess you are right." Mai whispered relaxing at his touch. He tenderly kissed her neck and she sighed.

****oOo****

When the feast was finally over, the gang was exhausted and retired to their rooms. After making sure that everyone had left, Mai and Zuko walked to their room. Zuko was behind Mai, his head buried in her neck and his arms around her stomach. She was giggling—a glass of wine could easily do the job.

"Zuko." She laughed quietly as he tickled her neck with his lips.

When they finally got in their room, Zuko pushed Mai softly against the door and kissed her tenderly. One of Mai's hands snuck behind her back and locked the door.

Their lips never breaking apart, Zuko placed his hands on Mai's waist as she got rid of her pins and his top-knot.

When she could finally tangle her finger in his brown locks, she sighed in his mouth.

The couple pulled back to breath, their foreheads touching. Zuko closed his eyes and enjoyed the feeling of her skin against his. "I love you." He said with sincerity.

"I love you, too." She answered back before attacking his lips again.

Zuko—still kissing her—brought his arm under her knees and picked her up, carrying her to the bed, her white dress hanging loosely under his elbow.

**Sorry, no lemon :) Well, do you like it? I believe that it was in character! **

**Sokka is my favorite character but I believe that he is a little bit too hard to keep in character. I did my best, though. I love him!**

**[1] Chinese food that looks really delicious.**

**Aww, Maiko fluff!**

**And evil mother and father in-law! Mwahaha!**

**No seriously, they did mean that about dinner.**

**I also believe that Faisho should be close to Mai. He is the only relative that cares for her. That's what I figured out at the Boling Rock episode!**

**Private Fire has been very encouraging! I have to thank her for that!**

**And one big, big, big thanks to my beta, **_**twilight642531,**_** for being awesome! (huge applause)**

**Thanks Rachel!**

**Oh, well. I still find Korra unsatisfying!**

**But anyway!**

**Flameo AND REVIEW, my fellow hotman!**

**Review? Please? I need more feedback :D**

**~Dora**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey, guys! That's a whole new chapter! I particularly enjoyed writing this one. There's lots of fluff and some pretty good gang scenes!**

**Yay!**

**Enjoy!**

Not even the rise of the sun could wake Zuko up that morning. Being a firebender, the energy he got from the sun was enough to make him feel like he didn't need any more sleep. But the night had been _really_ long and the morning found him exhausted.

Mai, herself, would usually wake up early in the morning. That day, however, she was going to make an exception. So she snuggled closer to Zuko's chest and sighed at the warmth that his body radiated.

_Knock- knock._

Zuko groaned at the annoying sound. He couldn't really realize where it was coming from, and he certainly didn't intend to find out.

_Knock-knock._

"Ugh!" Zuko complained, sinking deeper into the bed. He had now understood that someone was actually knocking at their door. No matter how annoying the tapping sound was, however, he wasn't going to answer it.

_Knock-knock._

"Zuko…" Mai said tiredly, shaking him weakly. "Someone's at the door."

"I know." The young firebender groaned again, mostly paying attention at the way Mai's lips moved against his bare chest. "But there's no way I'm moving from here for the next couple of days." He declared, hugging Mai as close to him as possible.

_Knock-knock._

"It might be important." She said, unwillingly. She, herself, didn't want Zuko to leave her side. "Maybe the council wants you at a meeting or something."

_Knock-knock._

"I have already taken care of everything. I will not be bothered with any Firelord duties for the next two weeks." He grabbed one of her hands and brought it to his lips, kissing it softly. Mai hummed cozily and snuggled closer to him. Last night's events were clear in her mind and she blushed.

"_Are you still alive in there?"_ A too-familiar voice came from the other end of the door. Then the knocking became frantic and the pounding made Zuko dizzy.

"Go away, Sokka!" He shouted. His effort to make his annoying friend leave, however, went in vain, since Sokka kept banging at the door like there was no tomorrow.

"Oh, for _Agni's_ sake." Zuko reluctantly slipped away from Mai, who fell on the mattress like a dead corpse. She was surprised that she was still so tired, even after so many hours of sleep.

"Cover up." Zuko said to Mai, biting his bottom lip at the sight of her pale skin. Mai did as she was told, drifting off once again.

Putting some pants on, Zuko dragged his feet to the door. He unlocked it sleepily and opened it just some inches.

"Finally! I thought you guys would never wake." Sokka said poking his head in the room. "Why are you still sleeping? It's past sunrise." Sokka stroked his chin in thought and looked at Zuko suspiciously.

"What do you want, Sokka?"

He narrowed his eyes and a frown appeared on his lips as he answered. "Just wanted to say that it's not fair. They never let _me_ sleep that late." Zuko watched in incredulousness as Sokka crossed his arms in front of his chest. "And I am so tired!" He shouted.

"Shh!" Zuko glared at his friend, clamping Sokka's mouth shut. "You will wake Mai up." He looked over at his wife and smiled at the sight. He couldn't help but think that she was really beautiful when she slept. She always took his breath away. Something about her black hair falling over her closed eyelids and the way her slightly swollen lips parted as she was breathing made him want to stare at her for hours.

"Looks like someone is daydreaming." Sokka half-sang, elbowing Zuko at the ribs.

"Wha—oh yeah. Uhh…" The Firelord looked around him in confusion, before remembering that Sokka was still in the room. He blushed slightly in embarrassment. "Do you want something else, Sokka?"

"The others wanted me to ask if you are coming for breakfast. Otherwise, I could have some servants bring you some food. You know, being such a powerful warrior and all, everyone follows my orders."

"What did you expect? You are a guest." Zuko shook his head, realizing that even if he lied down, he wouldn't be able to sleep. "I'm going to wake Mai up and we will join you in a while."

"As you wish, my Lord." Sokka performed what was supposed to be a gracious bow and left the room.

Shaking his head, Zuko walked back to bed and flopped on it. He took some more minutes watching Mai sleep, smiling softly to himself. His fingers slowly stroked the waves of hair that rested on her pale back and his golden eyes roamed over her face, taking every feature in. Just the thought of having a wife—especially Mai—seemed impossible two years ago, when he was trapped inside that ship, thinking of her. But here they were, _married_ _and happy._

Burying his head in the crook of her neck, Zuko kissed the pale skin that was there. "Mai…" He whispered, his voice slightly muffled. "_Sweetheart_." He had to admit that he was quite fond of the nickname he had adopted during the long night.

"Hmm?" Mai hummed, without opening her eyes. Zuko could see a small smile tugging at the edges of her lips.

His lips traveled to her jaw and she felt him smile against her skin. "Wake up, it's time for breakfast." He reached her lips and stroked them gently with his. Her slender fingers found their way to his hair and she pushed his mouth to hers more forcefully, their lips moving into perfect synchronization.

Just the sensation of her lips was enough to make Zuko stay in bed with her all day. But they had to make plans, and they didn't have much time. Besides, he could feel his belly growling and immediately regretted not eating in the last night's feast.

Mai pulled back to catch her breath and smiled up at him. "Breakfast sounds good." She agreed, caressing his scarred cheek. Zuko shuddered at the feeling. His skin had always been much more sensitive there and Mai's touch made his hairs rise in delight.

He gave in the temptation to kiss her lips once more, tenderly stroking her cheek. His other hand found its way into her hair.

She slowly pulled away and looked at him, raising her eyebrow. "Breakfast." She reminded him.

"Right." He grunted, rolling to his back. "Breakfast."

Somehow, the idea of eating suddenly seemed unappealing to him

****oOo****

"Finally! We were starting to think you would never show up!" Sokka exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air. "I wonder what took you so long." He wiggled his eyebrows and Zuko's cheeks turned a bright red. Sometimes, he just wanted to smack Sokka.

"We almost had to tie Sokka up to stop him from eating all the food." Aang said when the couple sat down, sitting side by side.

"You didn't have to wait for us." Mai noted. She filled her plate with whatever she could find. Seeing all this food in front of her made her realize how hungry she was.

"That's what I said!" Sokka said; his words muffled from the amount of food he had already managed to put in his mouth.

Both of the newlyweds dug in their food with eagerness.

"Have some cake, too. It's my specialty." Iroh offered, giving a generous piece to each one of them. "And have some of my mint tea as well. It is impossible to find such good tea in the entire Fire Nation."

The couple didn't argue as Iroh filled their cups with the green liquid. Zuko took a long sip, enjoying the taste. "You are right, Uncle. It's hard to find a tea as good as yours."

"It really is." The new Firelady agreed."So, Ty Lee." Mai looked at the young acrobat who hadn't spoken since they came in—something really unusual for the pink girl. Mai noticed that she looked really absent-minded and smiled knowingly. "How did it go with Haru?"

Ty Lee perked up in the boy's name and smiled at her best friend. "Good! He is a really nice guy. We are going out again tonight." She shrugged.

"Sounds pretty serious." Katara winked.

"Oh, I don't know." The lips of the usually cheerful girl turned into a frown. "I mean, I am a Kyoshi Warrior and he lives in the Earth Kingdom. I don't know if it will… you know, work out."

"I am a Kyoshi Warrior and things worked out with Sokka." Suki said in a soothing tone, touching the girl's hand. During the past months, she had come to like the acrobat. At first, she was hesitant about Ty Lee's intentions, but now she could see that she meant well.

"Zuko and I were apart for three years when he was banished. And things worked out as well." Mai said, snuggling closer to Zuko's body. Zuko, automatically, put an arm around her waist and smiled at her.

"Yeah." He agreed. "They _did_ work out."

"Okay, enough talking about me." Ty Lee said, giving the group one of her usual smiles. "Where do you guys decided to spend your honeymoon?"

"Well…" Zuko started, slightly distracted with the thought of what they were going to do _during_ their honeymoon. "We thought of Ember Island, but the memories we have from there aren't particularly good. So, we decided North Pole."

"North Pole?" Toph's eyes widened with surprise. "Well, I wouldn't choose that place for _my_ honeymoon."

"Mai has never seen anything but the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom. I want her to see something _different_—the Northern Water Tribe is perfect. And last time I was there, I didn't pay enough attention to the beauty of the place." The days that he chased the Avatar seemed far, far away to the young Firelord. Back then, the only purpose of his life was to capture Aang. And now, they were friends. And he had a new purpose—Mai.

"You are going to enjoy every part of it, Mai. The place is just beautiful." Katara said, her eyes gleaming in awe.

"It better be." Mai said teasingly. "Chief Arnook said that he would have everything ready for us. We are probably leaving tomorrow."

"How long are you going to stay?" Aang asked.

"Two weeks." Zuko answered. "If we get bored, we can leave earlier and go to Ba Sing Se instead." Zuko looked at his uncle, who was always thrilled by the thought of them visiting.

"I would be honored to have you as my guests." Uncle confirmed, already starting making plans in his mind.

"Gee, guys. We almost forgot to tell you. Chief Arnook asked for our help to get rid of some non-benders plotting against the Harmony Restoration Movement in North Pole." Aang said, slapping a hand against his arrowed forehead. Seeing the worried gaze of Zuko, he said: "It's nothing to worry about. Just a bunch of them, but we have to prevent it before the situation gets out of hand. We didn't tell you because you already had the wedding to worry about."

"The point is," Suki started. "We are going to be there next week. I don't think you guys want us around your feet all day."

Zuko fidgeted in what seemed to be a mix of embarrassment and confusion. If he wanted to be honest with himself, he would prefer to be alone with Mai. To make these two weeks perfect. But he couldn't risk the world's fate. His eyes met Mai's and she shrugged. She, too, would rather be alone with him. But if they _had_ to join them, then she would make some things clear.

"As long as you give us privacy, then I guess there's nothing wrong with it." She said, her eyes looking at Sokka. He was usually the one that liked to interfere.

"Seems fair." The warrior shrugged, attacking his food once more.

"Guys, may I suggest something to do in North Pole?" Aang asked; an excited smile on his lips.

"Sure." Zuko shrugged. He had thought of asking Aang some advice about 'what to do'. He, personally, had never been at the North Pole in search of entertainment, and neither had Mai. They both needed to know things about the place.

"Two words: penguin sledding." Sokka, Katara and Aang burst out laughing as soon as the words left the Avatar's mouth.

"What's that?" Mai asked in curiosity.

"Just tell the Chief and he will take care of it." Aang said.

Zuko looked at Mai, worry clear in his eyes. They both knew that it wasn't going to be good, but they would both try it anyway.

"So, Sokka…" Mai began, eyeing her goofy friend with mischief. "How did it go with the 'witch'?" Suki burst out in a round of giggles, while Sokka crossed his arms in front of his chest, pouting.

"Oh, come on." Zuko urged, raising his eyebrow teasingly. "It can't be _that_ bad."

"Well, apparently it can!" The warrior finally snapped, throwing his hands in the air in exasperation. "She thought I was trying to _propose_ to her!"

The couple's eyes widened. A few seconds passed in complete silence, nobody moving from their awkward position. Then the room exploded with laughter.

"Hey, it's not funny! For all I know, she could be buying a wedding dress right now!"

"Then you better hurry. We don't want you to be late at your own wedding, now, do we?" Toph said, releasing a booming laugh.

Sokka sunk lower in his puffy cushion and pouted once more. Suki smiled softly, before pecking her boyfriend's cheek. This made the young warrior feel a little bit better.

Some minutes passed in silence as the group proceeded on eating the delicious food that rested before them.

Mai's eyes narrowed in suspicion when she noticed that there was a member missing. "Isn't my uncle coming for breakfast?" She asked, looking around the room as though he might come in any minute.

"He has already had breakfast." Iroh said quietly. The tea maker was quite fond of the warden. He believed that he was a good, wise man that cared for his niece, a man of duty. And a very good pai sho player, too. "I do believe that he is training in the backyard right now."

"Then, I will let him know that we are leaving tomorrow." Mai said, rising from her sitting position. The food she had had was enough to keep her full for the rest of the day. But she was sure that she would be left exhausted and hungry by _various activities_ soon enough.

"Wait, I am coming with you." Zuko said, standing up. He wanted to spend as much more time with her as possible. Somehow, it seemed like their bond became even stronger now that they were married. They were both like magnets—each one pulling each other as close as possible.

"Have a nice day, everyone!" The Firelord waved, before taking his wife's hand in his.

The couple wandered aimlessly in the gardens, the bodies pressing together. "Are you excited about tomorrow?" Zuko asked, tightening his grip on Mai's waist.

Mai looked up at him and smiled. "Yes, I am. I really missed spending time _alone_ with you."

"Yeah. Me, too." Zuko agreed. "Restoring balance really didn't let us spend time together. I am going to make it up to you." He promised, his lips travelling to her jaw line. He enjoyed the softness of her skin and how smooth it felt under his fingertips and lips.

"Mhmm." Mai hummed. "And how _exactly_ are you going to do that?" She turned to face him, her fingers tangling themselves into his brown locks.

He grinned at her before pressing his lips against hers, his hands cuddling her face. "Does _that_ give you any ideas?" He whispered when they pulled apart.

"Pretty much." She said between taking breaths, already excited for what would follow. She took a step back and grabbed his hand again. "Come on—let's find my uncle."

The couple eventually found the strict-looking man. He was practicing his firebending with remarkable skill and agility. Zuko seemed impressed by the man's experienced moves. They pretty much reminded him of his own uncle.

"Uncle." Mai shouted, keeping her distance from the flames.

The man stopped immediately, turning to look at the couple.

"Zuko, Mai." He nodded at both of them. "I didn't see you coming."

"We just came in." Mai informed him. "You seemed pretty engrossed." She noted.

"Yes." The warden agreed, his eyes looking curiously at his niece. "Could I help you with something?"

"Oh, no. We just wanted to inform you that we are leaving tomorrow morning." Zuko answered, smiling at the older man. Zuko wasn't really fond of Mai's uncle. The incident at the Boiling Rock had left him thinking that he was more or less like a typical Fire Nation politician: cruel. As time passed, however, he came to realize that he was a man that wanted to be good with his job and do it right—just like he was ordered to. And he certainly was much better than Mai's parents. Zuko was glad that Mai could at least rely on _someone_ of her family. He was grateful for that.

"And where are you headed, if I may ask?"

"North Pole."

The warden seemed surprised at the couple's choice but didn't argue. "Nice choice." Faisho approved.

"Thanks, uncle. We will see you at lunch." Mai waved her goodbye and the couple started walking back to the palace.

"Mai, wait!" They heard Faisho's voice coming from behind them. The couple stopped walking, their brows furrowing in curiosity. "Your parents asked me to give you this." Faisho said, taking a scroll out of his black vest. "Here."

Mai looked at the scroll with uncertainty. She showed no emotion on her face, of course. She didn't want the others to believe that she was bothered by her parents' behavior. She stretched a hand and took the scroll, her face a mask of indifference. Zuko watched her closely, knowing what she was trying to achieve.

"Thank you, uncle." She said and turned to leave. Faisho looked at his niece in worry, not sure if he had done the right thing by giving her that letter. He took a step towards his niece, trying to find a way to help her.

A hand on his shoulder, however, stopped him. "Don't worry; I will make sure she's fine." Zuko assured him, striding towards his wife.

"Aren't you going to open it?" Zuko asked her when he caught up with her.

"Why should I?" She shrugged. "It's probably a list of 'what-a-Firelady should-do' rules."

Zuko chuckled a bit at that one. "Come on, Mai. I know you want to read it." His words made her stop walking. She turned to look at him.

"Zuko, I really don't care. If they can't be proud, it's not my fault. I can tell who the people that really love me are, and my parents aren't in the list." She said in a nonchalant tone. "Honestly—I don't care. Not anymore."

Zuko looked in her eyes, trying to find the open window from which he could see in her soul. He was the only one allowed to look from that window, to see behind the porcelain mask. "I know you don't." He answered, stroking her knuckles with his thumb. "But it wouldn't hurt to open it, would it?"

Mai sighed in defeat. She knew that Zuko could talk her into everything. "Alright." With a swift motion of her arm, she handed him the scroll. "You open it."

Zuko smiled in triumph before unrolling the scroll. "_Dear Mai and Firelord Zuko,_" He started, already grimacing by the formality. "_We wholeheartedly hope that you are both doing fine. Chonsin and I understand the burden of your responsibilities but we hoped you could find some time to honor us with your presence. We would love to have you over for dinner when you are not busy._

_Governor Chonsin and Lady Hiliana."_

When he finished reading, he looked at Mai. Her face hadn't changed from its emotionless façade. "Well, I kind of expected that." She said.

"So, what do you say?" Zuko asked as they walked back to the palace.

"I don't want to go. Let's do this after our trip, okay?" She could now see the door of their room and she was grateful for that.

"Are you sure? Don't you want to get this over with?" Zuko suggested as he closed their door.

"No. Besides, we have to get ready for our honeymoon." Her tone was seductive as her hands tangled themselves in Zuko's hair. Zuko grinned at her before placing a kiss on her lips.

"I don't think that 'getting ready' is what you have in mind." He teased, nuzzling her neck.

"Maybe it isn't." With that, she pushed him down onto the mattress and kissed him.

****oOo****

The next morning, the couple had to wake before sunrise in order to arrive to the North Pole as soon as possible. They both felt equal excitement to begin their trip, but equal disappointment as well to leave their beds. They had both had very little sleep. Once more, the night hadn't found them _sleeping_.

Being a firebender, it took Zuko a while to wake up. He yearned for the rise of the sun, when the energy would flow in his veins with remarkable speed. So, it took Mai a while to wake him up, but a few kisses did the job.

"If we keep a straight course, with no stops, then we will reach North Pole tonight. The ship is the fastest one we have—speed is a really important privilege when it comes to war." The leader of the small crew they had, started giving them a small tour. The ship was quite small—both Mai and Zuko didn't want much luxury—but it had one big advantage: speed. "Now that the war is over, however, I guess that it is good for urgent travelling."

They were all standing in the middle of the deck now. Mai could barely hear Zuko and the leader—Ghon—taking care of the last details. She was too absorbed in admiring the steel the ship was made of that she didn't pay any attention to her surroundings. Her hands slowly caressed the metal walls and she immediately imagined how powerful a knife made out of that material would be.

"Enjoying yourself already?" Zuko's voice came from behind her, as she felt his arms sneak around her stomach.

She relaxed at his touch and leaned against his chest. "Just thinking about what a weapon of that steel would look like."

"Yeah, I thought so." He said, making a mental note to turn that thought into reality. "You might want to wear something warmer later. You are going to feel the chill of the North Pole in a few hours."

She smiled and turned around to face her husband, her arms sneaking around his neck. "Who needs clothes when they have a firebender?" She teased, snuggling closer to Zuko's warmth. "Prepare yourself for cuddling." She warned him.

"You won't hear me complaining." He whispered as he slowly let his lips graze hers, both of them getting lost in the feeling.

"Ahem." The couple broke apart with a jolt at Ghon's voice. "May I show you to your room, my Lord?"

"Yes. Of course." Zuko nodded, blushing. He took Mai's hand and followed Ghon to their cabin.

The room wasn't big, but it wasn't small either. The big bed in the middle was enough to make the couple smile. The fireplace resting just a few meters away kept the room warm—Mai was quite grateful for that. The whole room had a red glint, like a typical fire nation room. The couple couldn't help but find it cozy.

Zuko thanked Ghon and dismissed him, wanting nothing than to be alone with Mai.

"I don't think that you're going to need my firebending. The room is really warm."

****oOo****

"You just had to open your big mouth, didn't you?" Mai said teasingly, ignoring the fact that her teeth were chattering.

The couple was dressed in a red furry coat with a hood, like the ones that waterbenders had. Despite the multiple layers on her body, the covers of their bed and Zuko's heated palms, Mai found it quite hard to adjust to the new climate.

"It's going to be colder in North Pole." He warned her. He took a deep breath, enhancing his inner fire. The heat left his core, travelled through his veins and reached the tips of his fingertips. "Here." He said stroking Mai's face. "How does that feel?"

"Much better." Mai approved, sighing at the warmth. She had to admit that she was really grateful of the cold and took advantage of it. Zuko's embrace was the only place she wanted to be. "I think my lips are cold." She said seductively.

"Hmm. I think I can do something about that." Zuko grinned, leaning in to capture her lips. Mai smiled as she got lost, silently thanking the cold weather.

****oOo****

The night had just fallen, bringing another layer of cold with it. Mai, however, had got used to it. She had come to like the cold climate, since it gave her the chance to be in Zuko's arms all the time.

"Mai, look at that!" Zuko exclaimed, pointing at a white spot that appeared in the horizon. "We are almost there."

"North Pole, here we come."

**So, what do you think?**

**I got cold by just writing this. Brrr!**

**But hey, cold can only mean one thing.**

**Cuddling! **

**I really have some pretty good ideas for the next chapters! I think that the honeymoon is going to be… eventful (hint: penguin sledding! Hahaha).**

**By the way, I know that it should take them weeks to arrive at the North Pole, but please, work with me. (Besides, the ship is really fast.) :P**

**Countdown to assassination attempt! Lots of action!**

**Thanks everyone for reviewing, you guys are really supportive!**

**The next chapter will probably take a while, since I have exams to worry about. So, studying is my priority.**

**But don't worry, there's always time for Maiko!**

**I really want to thank twilight642531, for being such an awesome beta!**

**Thanks Rachel! You are awesome!**

**So, that's it!**

**Stay flaming and please, please, please, please REVIEW! Please? I want feedback!**

**So, review!**

**~Dora**


	4. Chapter 4

**Yay! Another chapter! Hope you like it!**

**Enjoy!**

The night was silent and peaceful, almost mysterious. With each passing second, the sky was turning into an even blacker color, so black that someone couldn't tell where the sea under it started. Every now and then, the huge orb that was the moon would appear under the layer of grey clouds, it would make the waves glimmer and then it would disappear again.

The sound of splashing water was echoed in the distance—the only sound that could be heard. Under the pitch black sky, a big boat floated. If one was able to see, it would notice four figures—two of them, a boy and a girl, sitting so close that they looked like one, and two others standing, each one at each end of the boat. Their hands were moving in synchronization, almost in rhythm.

As the moon got out of its hidden place once more, something that looked like a city made of ice appeared before them. The city was guarded by many layers of walls, ice walls. The girl's eyes widened with what seemed to be a combination of pure admiration and fear, when they got close to one of the walls.

"Zuko," She whispered, as if she was afraid of making noise. "Why do I get the feeling that we are about to crash in that wall?" The girl automatically snuggled closer to Zuko.

"Don't worry, Mai." Zuko replied, tightening his grip on the girl. "The waterbenders know what they're doing. I _hope_."

"Thanks." Mai replied in a dry tone. "That makes me feel all better."

Chuckling, Zuko placed a kiss on the girl's forehead, noting that she wasn't as cold as she used to be. However, he proceeded on 'warming' the rest of her face with his lips.

When the boat got closer to the wall, Mai had to bite down a very girly scream. She really didn't want to bump in a cold, freezing, ice wall, thank you.

The impact that she was expecting, however, never came. Instead, a piece of the wall sunk to the bottom of the sea, as two waterbenders standing on top of the wall moved their hands.

"_Agni_." Mai gasped, covering her mouth with a gloved hand. "That's just beautiful."

Before her stood one of the most amazing places she had ever seen. Wall after wall sunk to the sea and appeared again when they passed, revealing a paradise of ice.

Every building, every street, every bridge, _every single thing_ was made of water. _Frozen_ water. Mai thought that it was stunning—and that's something for a girl that's hardly impressed with anything.

"Yeah… it really is." Zuko replied, surprised that he hadn't noticed all of this beauty when he had visited the place two years ago. Then, again, everything was beautiful when he was with Mai.

"It's even more beautiful during the day." One of the waterbenders said as he stopped moving his hands.

That was when the couple noticed that they had come to a halt. Zuko got off the boat first, making sure that his boots were good enough for him not to slip. He then helped Mai get out of the boat. He couldn't help smiling at her beauty. The light of the moon made her pale skin gleam in the night and her amber eyes shine. Not to mention her hair that looked like it was made out of silk.

"Hey, you okay?" Mai asked when she saw his faraway look, placing a gloved hand on his cheek.

"Yeah." Zuko shook his head to get out of his thoughts. "I'm fine."

"Firelord Zuko!" A rather harsh voice came from the darkness, as three figures got closer.

"Come on." Zuko whispered to Mai and she followed him, stopping a few steps behind him.

"Chief Arnook!" Zuko exclaimed, shaking hands with the man. "It's good to see you again." Mai noticed that the man looked a bit like Hakoda—Sokka's father—with a typical water tribe hairstyle. His clothes consisted of blue fur with a hood—just like Mai and Zuko wore.

"I was about to say the same, young man." Chief Arnook smiled. "I suppose this is the new Firelady?" Arnook said, looking behind Zuko's shoulder where Mai stood.

Zuko looked behind his shoulder and stretched his hand to grab Mai's. He gently tugged her forward. "Oh, yeah. That's her." He said, his voice dripping with pride.

Mai smiled, trying to hide her shyness and stretched her free hand towards Arnook. The chief smiled politely and shook it. "It's an honor to meet you, Chief Arnook."

"Lady Mai, welcome to North Pole." Chief Arnook greeted her, letting go of her hand. "Zuko, despite our efforts we couldn't keep your arrival secret. You know how servants are like—they are quite keen on gossiping."

"It's okay, Chief Arnook. I knew that it would be impossible anyway." Zuko said softly. He knew that a lot of people would recognize him in the streets, and a lot of girls would probably try to capture his attention. And Mai knew that, too. She wasn't particularly happy when girls _swooned_ over Zuko. And she had some pretty good plans to get rid of them—plans that involved plenty of knives, of course. Zuko had made it clear to her that she didn't have to worry, though. _"I'm yours. Only yours." _He had said. Just the memory brought a smile on Mai's lips.

"You both wanted as much privacy as possible, without much luxury. Since the palace is far from what you are asking for, I searched for the right place myself, and I think that it will correspond to your needs." Chief Arnook said, giving them an excited smile. The place didn't really have many visitors and whenever it did, they were usually from the watertribe. Having Fire Nation citizens—especially the royal couple—was a welcome change. He wanted to do whatever he could to make sure they had a good time, not only for political purposes, but out of kindness as well.

"Thank you, Chief Arnook. This means a lot to us." Zuko said, smiling warmly at the man. Somehow, despite the cold breeze hitting their faces, the couple felt cozy and welcome. Chief Arnook was a very fatherly figure, and made the young couple comfortable.

"Follow me." Chief Arnook said softly, before turning to the two servants that stood behind him. "Their bags." He reminded them and the two hurried to the boat.

As Zuko and Mai followed the older man through ice bridges and streets, Mai could only concentrate on the warmth that Zuko radiated. She could feel it getting stronger every time he inhaled and vanish to a small buzz every time he exhaled. She smiled in happiness because she knew that this could only mean one thing: he was relaxed and peaceful. And that was how he would be like for the rest of their trip.

He would finally be hers, just _hers_, without worrying about silly, thick-headed politicians, or bossy advisors.

"What are you thinking about?" Zuko whispered at her, wrapping his arm around her waist.

"About how happy I am that we finally got rid of those stupid advisors of yours."

Zuko laughed in amusement. "Yeah, that's a welcome change, isn't it?"

"It certainly is." She whispered and then raised her voice. "You won't bother my husband with politics, will you, Chief Arnook?" Mai asked in a teasing tone, making the man walking ahead laugh.

"Don't worry, my Lady. I, myself, get as much tired of politicians and advisors as you do." He said, mentally wishing he could take some weeks off as well. "Besides, I don't think that your husband is willing to leave your side. Am I right, Lord Zuko?" He turned to look at the couple, his eyes gleaming teasingly.

Zuko blushed slightly, glad that it was too dark for anyone to see. "Definitely, Chief Arnook." He answered with a grin.

The couple heard the man chuckling and they smiled.

They had now completely entered the city. The way the light of the moon fell on the frozen buildings made them shine in the night. The big river that divided the city in two parts glimmered as it moved; its black water looked almost alive.

One would probably think that the silence of the place was creepy and eerie, but it somehow was… comforting. It felt _right_.

The chief led them away from the buildings, towards a more deserted area. They could only see some houses there. The air got a bit warmer as they got closer.

"Here we are." Chief Arnook whispered, stopping in front of something that looked more like a cottage. Both Mai and Zuko were surprised and extremely grateful to see that it was made out of wood. Just by seeing it, the couple felt at ease. The most beautiful part of the house was its roof. Being pointed at the edges, it was painted with the most vivid colors, making the cottage look warm.

"It's perfect." They both said, making Chief Arnook smile in delight.

"Thank you, Chief Arnook. It's even better than we had imagined." Zuko said, after the servants had brought the luggage in, shaking hands with the older man.

The inside of the cottage was even more beautiful. Everything was just so comfortable and, somehow, _familiar_. The big fireplace that rested on one of the walls was enough to warm the whole place up. Amazingly soft, red cushions lay on the floor, around a mahogany table that stood a few feet away from the fireplace. Small candles rested on it, filling the room with the scent of vanilla and cinnamon. A red couch at the opposite wall was big enough for two people to cuddle and the couple couldn't help but smile. A crate full of wood was put in a dark corner, waiting to be used for a fire. There were two doors, each one leading to two different rooms: the kitchen and the bedroom.

"You're welcome. We don't have guests like you very often." The man said with a smile on his face. "You can come to the palace, if you want. Dinner should be ready by now. Otherwise, there's plenty of food in the kitchen."

Zuko shot a look at Mai, already knowing what she would decide. "Thank you, but we'd prefer to stay here and rest." Zuko said, although what he had in mind wasn't 'resting'.

"As you wish." Chief Arnook said. "I really hope you enjoy your time here."

"Chief, could I ask you something?" Zuko said when the chief had turned to leave. "Avatar Aang mentioned something about penguin sledding. We were hoping you could tell us what it is?"

To the couple's surprise, Arnook smiled with mischief. "Oh, it's something like a 'sport'. I can have it arranged, if you want to try it, that is."

The couple wasn't sure if they wanted to try it. But Aang had said that it would be fun. "We would love to." Mai said, trying to hide the hesitance in her voice.

"Very well. I will have someone escort you to the place tomorrow morning."

The couple nodded, and after making sure that they wouldn't need anything else, Arnook left taking his servants with him.

Zuko locked the door, although he was pretty sure that no one would interrupt.

Mai flopped herself on one of the puffy-looking cushions, taking off her gloves and hood.

"I'll make a fire." Zuko said, grabbing some of the wood that lay in the corner. Crouching, he put them neatly in the fireplace before outstretching his palm towards them.

Taking a deep breath, he felt the energy travel through his veins—its speed reduced now that the sun had set—until it reached the center of his hand. A small blast came out, setting the dry wood on fire.

Mai watched in awe. No matter how many times she had seen Zuko bend, she just couldn't get used to it, to the beauty of being able to control and produce something as powerful as fire. _It must feel incredible._ She thought. _The strength, the feeling of dominance._ She, herself, wasn't a bender, so she was always thrilled and proud when she saw Zuko bend so expertly.

"I always like it when you do that." She murmured in a soft tone.

Zuko looked at her over his shoulder, slowly rising from his crouch. "Do what?" He asked curiously, before sitting to the cushion next to her.

"Firebending." She answered, leaning her head on his shoulder. "It makes you look so powerful and…" She struggled to find the right word. "_Complete_."

"_You_ make me feel complete." He argued, his fingers stroking her silky hair. "But, yes, I understand what you mean."

"Are you hungry?" She suddenly asked, as if remembering something that she had forgotten. And yes, she had completely forgotten about food. She always forgot things when she was with Zuko. "I know _I_ am." She said with a small chuckle, finally realizing that her stomach was rumbling.

"Well, now that you mention it…" The Firelord felt surprised when he realized that he was hungry. "Let's go check the kitchen. I bet there's some good stuff in there."

The couple walked hand in hand to the kitchen. It was simple, yet just right. There was a table with chairs in the middle, and sets of cupboards hung on the walls. The couple browsed through the food, smiling when they found something they liked and frowning in disgust when they set eyes on the slithering eels.

"Look!" Mai exclaimed in happiness when she opened one of the cupboards. "Fruit-tarts! These guys really know how to live."

"I'm not sure I agree with that." He said, his face wrinkled in disgust when he saw something that looked like seaweed. "But I am happy for the fruit-tarts."

Filling their plates with whatever they found tasty—bread rolls, salads, fish and plenty of fruit tarts—the young couple returned back to the fireplace. The kitchen chairs seemed unappealing when they thought of the warm cushions.

They ate in comfortable silence, both of them enjoying the feeling of being away from the palace, where they always had something to do.

"I am really nervous about penguin sledding. I really didn't like the look on Aang's and Arnook's face." Zuko said when they finished, frowning.

"Yeah, neither did I. But I don't think that Aang would ever let us do something dangerous, would he?"

"I hope not." The Firelord answered. "So, how do you like the place?"

"It's so… _cozy_. And so different from everything I have seen. I know it's cold and all, but it makes me feel really _warm_." She said, her eyes looking hopefully up to her husband, hoping that she would understand what she was trying to explain. "I sound stupid." She sighed.

"No. No, you don't." Zuko said in a sincere voice. "I know what you mean. I get that feeling, too."

"And the way everything is made out of ice, it looks so _magical_."

Zuko grinned down at her. Mai was rarely impressed with things. Not to mention that she rarely spoke about things that she was impressed with. "Yeah, it does." He answered.

"What do you think we should do tomorrow? After the _sledding_ thing?" She asked him, not really bothering to remember the name of the 'sport'.

"I don't know." Zuko answered, leaning towards her face. "But I know what we should do _now_." With that, he pressed his hot lips on hers, and despite the exposal of their skin, none of them felt the cold for the rest of the night.

****oOo****

Next morning, just when the sun managed to appear behind an icy mountain, Zuko opened his eyes, welcoming the energy that started coursing through his body.

Three years ago, when he was trapped in that ship, chasing after the Avatar like a maniac, he would often find shelter in his dreams. They usually consisted of nightmares, but there were those rare moments, when a pale girl with shiny black hair would appear, smiling at him. She would sit by the turtle-duck pond and he would sit beside her, holding her soft hand and laughing along with whatever she would say.

For those pure moments in his dreams, Zuko would curse the sun for waking him up. He would curse his damn life and his obsession with the Avatar.

But that was long ago. Now that his life was on the right path, he thanked the sun for waking him up, because he was able to see that pale girl in his arms.

He was happy as long as he was holding her. It felt so… _right_. Like his arms were made just for her, like she _belonged_ there.

When he was holding her, it was like he made an invisible bubble, an invisible layer that could hold out everything and everyone. They were in their world, a world where no words were needed, a world where they spoke with their eyes. _Their world._

"I'm such a dork." Zuko murmured to himself, grinning at his thoughts.

His eyes roamed over her face, her delicate features, her closed eyelids, her tender lips. They reminded him of rose petals—soft and delicate. He slowly grazed her lips with his, softly, as if afraid that the fragile bloom would break.

He slipped out of Mai's embrace unwillingly, his body already aching for her touch. He tiptoed out of the bedroom, but not before taking a final, long glance at her.

He was glad that he wore his fur-coat, otherwise his teeth would be chattering from the cold. Noticing that the fire had died out, he put some more wood and soon enough the room was starting to get warmer.

Humming to himself, the young Firelord made his way to the kitchen, feeling as carefree as ever. He opened the cupboards in search of something tasty. "I swear I had seen some cookies somewhere." He mumbled to himself as he browsed through the variety of food. Finally finding what he was looking for, he smiled. Cinnamon. They were Mai's favorite.

He then proceeded on making some tea. Spending years with his uncle and working at a tea-shop for some months were enough of a practice. He was proud to say that he could make some decent tea.

After putting them all in a tray, along with some fruit tarts, he walked back to the main room with the fireplace, living the tray on the mahogany table.

Walking back to the bedroom, he sunk next to Mai, taking in her sleeping form once again.

He clasped his hand around hers, enjoying the softness of her fingers. Bringing their entwined hands over his heart, he leaned in for one more kiss. "_Mai_." He whispered against her lips. "Mai, wake up."

Moaning softly, Mai snuggled closer to his warm chest. "Why should I?" She murmured sleepily, her lips forming into a small smile.

Zuko chuckled and caressed her cheek with his knuckles. "Because we have to get ready for penguin sledding _and_ I made breakfast." He said, adding a small laugh at the last words.

Mai's eyebrows shot up in surprise when she heard the words. "The Firelord made breakfast?"

"Well, not really, since everything was ready. But I _did_ make tea."

"Well," Mai sat up, stretching her arms over her head. "I guess that's something worth getting out of bed for." She said before placing a soft kiss on Zuko's unscarred cheek. "Besides, I'm _starving_."

After getting ready for the day, the couple walked to the fireplace room, where the tea was still hot, despite the coldness of the place. Mai sat on one of the cushions eagerly with Zuko following suit. Smelling the cinnamon in the cookies, she smiled. _He always remembers_. She thought to herself before taking a generous bite.

"So, I was thinking…" Zuko started after some minutes. "What about visiting the main city after penguin sledding? I heard that the market is really worth a visit."

"That sounds great." Mai agreed. She didn't really care where they would go as long as she had Zuko with her.

Mai looked out of one of the windows. The snow kept on falling in a frantic rate, regardless of the sun that shone brightly in the sky. The wind was bellowing, howling like a wolf in the night, its growling so loud that the couple could hear it blowing. Mai shivered.

"Are you cold?" Zuko asked.

"Just a bit." She answered.

"Come here." He murmured softly, helping her sit on his lap. Mai didn't argue as she snuggled close to his chest, sighing contently. "Better?" Zuko asked, putting some warmth on his fingertips as he wrapped his arms around her body.

"Much better."

Some more minutes passed in comfortable silence as the couple watched the flames dance in the fireplace. Zuko was a firebender. Every kind of fire was a part of him, it called to him, especially since the day that the dragons showed him what firebending was all about. But there was one kind of fire he couldn't control. And that was the fire that only Mai could create. Just by being in her presence, he felt it build up in his chest, growing to the point that it would get unbearable_. The fire of love is the purest one._ His uncle had told him once. _And the hardest one to control._

"Mai?" Zuko whispered, afraid to break the silence.

"Hmm?" Mai hummed from his chest.

"I love you." He whispered, caressing the words with care and devotion. Zuko wasn't one of those people that would express his feelings. Yes, he did tend to express his anger—a lot. But he was never one of those people that could let their sensitive side out. And neither was Mai. Mai was far behind Zuko—she didn't express anything _at all._

But somehow, when they were together, the masks fell; the invisible blocking walls were brought down. And things worked out.

"I love you, too." She mumbled against his chest. "But if I end up wet, chased by a penguin, I swear I'm going to kill you."

The last words left the Firelord with an uneasy smile on his face, although deep inside, he knew that Mai wasn't capable of hurting him.

****oOo****

"So, here's how it goes." The young boy said, carrying a bucket full of fish with him.

The couple was standing on a quite high mountain, which was covered with ice and snow. As they looked down, they could see that the path that led to the base wasn't an easy one. Lots of swirls and loops made it look rather painful, actually. It reminded Zuko of some water slides he had seen as a kid. He gulped—he had a bad feeling about this. The fact that they were surrounded by quacking penguins didn't help much. Mai clasped his gloved hand tighter, trying to remain calm.

"You hold up a fish—just like this—and you swing it around. See, lots of penguins are gathering. When the penguin is busy eating the fish, you just grab it by the neck and climb onto his back—just like this." The boy said excitedly, demonstrating the moves. All he probably did was penguin sledding. His excitement reminded the couple of Aang.

Swallowing, Zuko reached out to take a fish out of the bucket. Looking at Mai, he urged her on doing the same. They both felt silly moving the fish around, but they had no other choice. Soon enough, they were both on the backs of two penguins.

"Great, now what?" Zuko asked.

"Now _this_!" The boy placed his hands on the couple's backs, pushing hard. In just a second, they were both sliding down the mountain, as the penguins moved on their bellies.

"Aaahhh!" Mai had never really screamed in her life. But now, as she was speeding down a huge mountain, spinning around a huge icy loop of ice, she decided to give it a try. Zuko on the other hand, couldn't find his voice; otherwise his screams would be echoed in the mountains.

"First-timers." The young boy muttered under his breath as he watched the young couple sledding on the penguins.

Mai sighed in relief when she realized that neither she nor Zuko had crushed into the ice-made hill that stood before them. Now that Mai had time to comprehend the situation, it wasn't that bad. It actually felt kind of fun. She could feel her stomach doing flips in her belly, tickling her, as the penguin spun around another loop.

"It's like flying!" She shouted to Zuko that was some feet behind her. Her words were accompanied by a loud laugh.

"Yeah, it is!" Zuko shouted back, laughing as well.

Soon enough, the two of them were spinning, sliding and falling over mountains and cliffs, their fear forgotten.

Mai didn't really remember laughing so much over something so absurd, but she couldn't stop. Zuko's laugh accompanied hers, echoing in the ice.

As the penguins slid down a hill, they decided that carrying two humans on their backs was no longer interesting. So, with just a swift motion, they tossed off their riders, letting them fall on the ground.

Both of them yelped as they bounced of the icy hill. Zuko fell on his back on something surprising soft. "Snow." He muttered with a sigh of relief.

Another yelp followed as Mai fell on his chest.

"Hey." Zuko panted, brushing aside some of the bangs that covered her face.

"Hey." She said, letting out a gush of air.

"I have to admit," Zuko started, pressing Mai against his body. "Penguin sledding has its perks."

Mai laughed softly but was soon interrupted by Zuko's lips. Mai closed her eyes and let her hands tangle themselves in his hair, pushing his mouth against hers. Zuko didn't complain as he moved one hand in her hair as well, the other one embracing her waist.

Soon enough, they had both forgotten about the sheer amount of ice that surrounded them and the penguins that were wandering around them.

Neither of them noticed the young boy standing above them and they both jerked up when they heard him cough. "_Ahem_. Are you in for another ride?"

Zuko groaned in disappointment as Mai propped herself up. "No, thank you. We will take a look at the Main City." She said dryly, expertly hiding her irritation. "Come on." She smiled down at Zuko and he stood up, brushing the snow off his pants.

Taking her hand in his, he tugged her towards the other direction, mumbling a soft thank you to the kid.

"Come back anytime!" The boy waved at them before walking away.

"That was fun." Mai murmured to Zuko.

"Yes. It really was." Zuko replied. "I'm glad you enjoyed it."

The Main City, they discovered, was a place full of life, in striking contrast with its cold atmosphere. People smiled a lot and examined them with a curious but friendly look. _Sometimes too friendly_, Mai thought as she saw one girl batting her eyelashes when she passed by Zuko, making sure her arm touched his. Zuko, however, didn't seem to notice as his eyes were always stealing glances at Mai.

The couple's eyes roamed over the variety of food the market sold. It seemed like sea prunes were a favorite since people couldn't get enough of them. The purplish fruit, however, seemed unappealing to the couple.

Mai's eyes widened in admiration and surprise when she saw knives made out of whale tooth and bones. She stopped walking to take a better look at them.

"You never get tired of knives, do you?" Zuko chuckled, squeezing her hand.

"No, I don't." She smiled, her eyes never leaving the weapons that stood before her. They were certainly different than anything she had ever seen. Of course, bone and teeth would never be able to replace steel, but they were a good change. She bought some of them, enjoying the lightness.

Jewelry was in the next stall. It was very different than anything Mai had seen before. Mai wasn't one of the girls that loved jewelry, but she certainly appreciated every gift that Zuko gave her.

"Strange, aren't they?" Zuko whispered, looking at some bracelets.

"Yes."

The usual gold of the Fire Nation was replaced with plain blue ribbons and white bones curved into various shapes. The watertribe made extensive use of a blue crystal stone as well.

Zuko's eyes fell on a familiar object. "Look at these." He murmured to Mai, pointing to the variety of the necklaces that lay in front of him.

"They look like the one Katara wears." She said, her fingers caressing the smooth surface of the stone.

"Hello, there!" A boy around Zuko's age appeared behind the stall. "Are you looking for a betrothal necklace for your betrothed?" The boy said, pointing at Mai with his thump.

"No." Zuko said, not bothering to explain that Mai was already wearing a betrothal necklace that belonged to his family for generations. He really didn't like the way that boy was looking at Mai. Zuko just wanted to get away from him, otherwise the boy would soon have lots of bruises.

"Well, too bad." The boy said, his eyes gleaming with happiness as he moved his face closer to Mai's. Mai glared at him, the rest of her face turning into an emotionless mask. She bit back the urge to punch him. "The guy doesn't appreciate what he has, does he? I could buy you one of those, baby." The boy said, trailing a finger down Mai's cheek.

Before he knew it, his arm was pushed down and Mai was behind Zuko's back who was glaring at the guy. "Keep your filthy hands to yourself." He snarled, linking his fingers with Mai's. He gently tugged her forward.

"And for the record," Mai started, glaring at the boy. "I am already married." She smirked pointing to Zuko.

Zuko just grunted in satisfaction, looking more like a young child that he had just won a sibling argument than the powerful Firelord he was, and tugged her to the next stall.

Mai just smiled in incredulousness, finding his pout impossible to resist. She pecked his lips, which made the corners of his lips twitch in to a small smile.

"That's better." She said, her fingers running up and down his arms in a soothing movement. She loved it when Zuko got jealous, although she had made it clear that he needn't be.

When he finally seemed calm, she giggled to herself and added in a nonchalant tone: "The guy was really cute, by the way."

The next thing that was heard into the market was her screech and Zuko shouting "Now you've done it!" as he chased her around the market, both of them laughing hysterically.

****oOo****

"Chief Arnook invited us to the palace for dinner tonight." Zuko said, nuzzling Mai's soft neck. She snuggled closer to his bare chest and sighed.

"'Kay."

The couple was resting on their bed, cuddling. Somehow, the chase in the market had led them back to the cottage, in the bedroom and onto the huge, red-clad bed, interrupting their city tour. Not that they complained.

Despite the fact that the room was quite cold, Zuko's firebending and the heavy covers were enough to warm their naked skin up.

"It feels good, doesn't it?" Zuko asked, running his hand up and down Mai's arm. "Having nothing to do."

"Yeah." Mai agreed, her lips forming into a small smile. "It really does."

The couple spent the next few hours staying in bed, both of them unwilling to get out of its warmth and each other's embrace.

**A/N: So, here it is! I hope you like it, I did my best!**

**I was thinking about adding the assassination attempt in this chapter, because nothing interesting has happened so far. But then I thought that it would be a shame to destroy their fun. Besides, the chapter is really long.**

**So, there's some more fluff in here. **

**Not having refrigerators was really a problem. I mean, where would the food be? But then I thought that it was the North Pole, where everything is cold, so the cupboards would do.**

**I was also thinking about a picnic for them, but it's just too cold. But I'll figure something out.**

**Please, feel free to give me ideas. Tell me what you want to see in the next chapters and I will add it :)**

**Hope this chapter is enough to keep you content for the next week. Exams need a lot of studying (studying=students dying, lol :P).**

**Anyways, stay flamin' until next week!**

**And review, because I LOVE REVIEWS!**

**I have been reading Alabaster86's **_**Equivalent Exchange**_** and it's one of the best Maiko stories I've ever read. Seriously, Alabaster is a Maiko genius!**

**One more thanks to **_**twilight642531**_** for going through any mistakes I have despite her exams :) Thanks, Rachel!**

**You guys are really supportive.**

**Review!**

**~Dora**


	5. Chapter 5

The next two days passed quite quickly for the newlyweds. They tried to spend most of their time seeing new places and trying different things. Not all of them turned out well, however. There were some moments when they would end up wet, like that time when they had gone canoeing and ended up kissing on the one end of the boat, making it topple in the water. Moments like these would lead to a round of giggles and kisses.

Tonight, however, there would be no giggles. Chief Arnook invited them to the palace for dinner again. But this time, it wouldn't be a private dinner, with the three of them chatting. No, it would be much worse than that.

"Ugh! A feast full of politicians!" Zuko let out a frustrated sigh. "And it just had to be held while we were here!" He complained as he pulled on his black sleeveless vest and red pants—he had made it clear to Mai that he wouldn't bother with any Firelord robes, even if the feast was formal.

Mai smiled a bit at the way he was overreacting. "They're waterbenders and it's the first full moon of the year." She tried to reason, despite the fact that she wasn't thrilled with the idea either. "They need to celebrate." She shrugged, and with one last motion, her hair was fixed in an elegant bun that would bear her Firelady diadem. Her dress was sleeveless. It was colored in crimson red with golden trim and golden sash. It fit tightly on her upper body and continued in waves under her sash, brushing the floor. She looked at her reflection and smiled.

"You're right." Zuko sighed. His arms found their way around her waist and his chin rested on her shoulder as he looked at her reflection as well. "You look beautiful." He whispered in her ear, earning a small smile. Mai was sure that she would never get tired of hearing those words.

Sometimes Zuko had difficulty believing that she was his. He knew that he didn't deserve her. According to him, she was too perfect for him. Mai had tried plenty of times explaining that she loved him, but he would still wonder why he had been so lucky as to have her. Eventually, Mai would shut him up with a kiss.

"You don't look bad yourself." She grinned, turning around to wrap her arms around her neck. "Come on, I'll make your hair."

She expertly pulled his hair up in a top-knot, making sure that it was perfect. "Here." She smiled, kissing his cheek.

Putting on their red cloaks, they started for the palace.

The night was clear; the clouds had completely disappeared from view, as if the light of the big moon had shoved them away. The bright orb stood proud in the middle of the sky, shining as if it were alive.

As the couple walked hand-in-hand to the palace, Mai's eyes couldn't stop staring at the moon. "It's so quite tonight." She whispered to Zuko, breaking the eerie silence.

"You feel it, too, don't you?" Zuko whispered back. "The moon spirit."

"Yeah." Mai shuddered, remembering the story of Yue, Arnook's daughter. "I do. It's kind of…"

"Creepy?"

"Yes." Mai agreed. "But in a peaceful way."

"Sokka told me the story once." Zuko said, his eyes looking glued to the moon as he remembered the time his friend had talked about it. "I was there when it happened, of course. But hearing it from him… it was different. He was so different, so _broken_." He finished. It was hard seeing his usually goofy, funny friend like this.

"It must have been hard for him." Mai whispered back, feeling concern and sympathy for Sokka.

"I don't ever want to lose you, Mai." Zuko said suddenly, his thoughts travelling at other options. How would _he_ have reacted if something like that had happened to Mai? How would _he_ deal with being so far away from her? How would _he_ deal with not being able to see her again? "Whatever happens, _never_ make me deal with losing you."

Mai's eyes widened at how desperate his words sounded. Zuko was always pessimistic, she knew that. She would often respond to any pessimistic thought he had with a roll of her eyes and a sweet 'stop worrying'. But this time, she just couldn't be sarcastic, because if anything happened to _him_, she would feel just as lost and desperate.

She brought her hand on his cheek, stopping him from walking. "Hey, you will never lose me, okay?" She said, praying that she would never lose him either. She placed a small kiss on his lips, feeling his tensed muscles relax under her touch. "I'll do my best not to turn into a spirit." She joked, earning a frustrated sigh that was covered by another kiss.

****oOo****

It turned out that the feast wasn't that bad, after all. All of the politicians recognized Zuko, since the diadem on his head and the scar easily gave him away. There was no talk about politics, however. Whether it was because of their celebration or the fact that Arnook had warned everyone not to talk with the royal couple about politics, they didn't know. Both of them were glad for that, though.

"Firelord Zuko!" A man exclaimed as he walked to the couple who was lazily sitting on some cushions enjoying some of the food. The man was tall and built, in his early forties. His brown hair was pulled up in a neat top knot, ending in thick sideburns on his face. His hand was wrapped around that of an impressive woman. They were both dressed in North Pole clothes. "What a pleasant surprise."

Zuko stood up hastily and Mai followed suit, smiling at the couple. "Mr. Heang! It's good to see you again." Zuko said, obviously recognizing the couple. "Mai, that's Governor Heang and his wife. I met them when we signed the Peace Treaty." Zuko introduced the couple to Mai, who smiled warmly, despite her lack of enthusiasm.

"It's an honor to meet you." She said, shaking hands with both of them.

"Firelady Mai!" Heang exclaimed, smiling. "Congratulations for your marriage. Allow me to say that your wife looks lovely, Lord Zuko."

Mai mumbled a soft thank you while Zuko tried to hide the sudden jealousy he felt.

"Thank you, Governor." He replied, nodding softly. The governor was oblivious to the sudden change in Zuko's mood.

"Excuse my curiosity, but I have been told that your marriage wasn't arranged. Is that true?" Zuko's eyebrow shot up in surprise at the unexpected question. He could see that the man was just curious and a little bit of fascinated by the rumors.

"Yes, it is true." The young Firelord replied softly, instinctively squeezing Mai's fingers. Predicting what the next question would be, he continued talking. "My advisors weren't particularly happy, but I made it clear to them. Mai was the only one I ever wanted."

"That's just spectacular!" Heang exclaimed. "Pinn and I got married out of love as well." He said, looking at his wife with affection.

"Now, dear, I believe that we should leave the couple alone." Pinn suggested, knowing that the newlyweds appreciated privacy.

"Of course. Enjoy the feast." The governor said. "Shall we, dear?" He turned to his wife, gesturing towards Chief Arnook. Pinn nodded and they walked towards the chief.

"That was awfully nice." Mai whispered to her husband as they sat back on the cushions.

Zuko chuckled. "Yeah, people here always surprise me. They behave like we are not even Fire Nation."

The rest of the feast was accompanied with music—which both Mai and Zuko found quite entertaining—and lots of food. Mai wasn't sure that she was happy about that part.

Giant sea crabs rested on huge plates, accompanied by a variety of vegetables. Sea squid seemed to be a favorite, made into a variety of things from soup to bread. Seaweed was used in a variety of foods, as well, and seemed just as unattractive.

"No wonder Sokka eats so much whenever he gets the chance." Mai noted, poking some sea prunes with her chopstick.

"Poor guy." Zuko agreed with a chuckle.

Both of them were equally happy and relieved when they saw that some normal chicken was brought in. They dug in their food eagerly.

When what seemed like the whole Northern Water Tribe was there, Chief Arnook decided to share a few words with his people.

"I humbly apologize for interrupting your entertainment. I would like to say a few words for the reason of today's feast. You all know, of course, that a waterbender's power comes from the moon. That is why we are all gathered here today." Cheers interrupted his speech and he waited until they died down. When they did, he spoke again. "The first full moon of the years has come and we all feel the power its light gives us—waterbenders or not.

"I would also like to mention that today—" His face fell and his cheerful tone turned into a sadder one. "—we are also mourning _and_ celebrating my daughter's sacrifice. Yue has been gone for three years and yet she has given us the courage we all needed. Let us all drink and enjoy ourselves for the Moon. For Yue!"

More cheers followed, accompanied by the cling of cups crushing onto each other, onto the tables and onto the floor.

Neither Zuko nor Mai had ever been present in feasts of other Nations, and they were both quite surprised and curious about the open-hearted people.

After a while, almost everyone was drunk. It looked like politicians in North Pole didn't behave like Fire Nation politicians. Mai noticed that all of them were much more carefree than her noble parents.

She thought of what they would think of such a feast and snickered.

"What?" Zuko asked softly, loving the sight of his laughing wife.

"Imagine what my mother would say if she was here. _'Oh, that's just unacceptable! I refuse to believe that these people are royalty!'_" She said in a scoffing, high-pitched tone, trying to imitate her mother.

Zuko laughed a lot then, thinking about his uncle. "My uncle would have loved it." He told her. "He wouldn't have given as much as a glance to the wine, of course."

Mai giggled and proceeded on watching the performance of some waterbending masters and the drunk peasants that walked around the room, talking and laughing.

Chief Arnook walked to them then. He, himself, had a generous amount of ale, but he seemed well-composed. "Different from the Fire Nation, isn't it?"

And it was. A feast full of politicians in the Fire Nation included dancing, eating and laughing, but in much more nobly way. However, Fire Nation citizens had their moments as well. They were all crazy about feasts and ale and they didn't hide it during the annual festivals, when they would all dance together under the lanterns in the streets.

"Yeah, it is." Mai said, observing the room once more. "It kind of reminds me of the Fire Lilly festivals."

Zuko chuckled, remembering the spontaneity of such celebrations. "You could say that again."

"People need distractions. During the war we really didn't have much to celebrate about." Chief Arnook murmured, mostly to himself, as his eyes looked at the wall behind Zuko—probably thinking about those times. "Speaking of war, I have something really important to tell you, Firelord Zuko."

Zuko recognized the business-like tone in his voice and immediately understood that politics would be involved. "I thought that the celebration has nothing to do with political purposes?"

"It doesn't." Chief Arnook agreed and leaned forward, so that only Zuko and Mai could hear. "But _this_ is threatening the peace we have managed to accomplish. You have to know."

Zuko nodded in understatement. His stance changed unconsciously—his squared his shoulders and puffed out his chest, folding his hands in front of him. Mai knew that change: he was turning from Zuko to _Firelord_ Zuko.

Mai, however, despite the desire to help Zuko as much as she could, couldn't bring herself to hear what Arnook had to say. "I'll let you two talk. I think I'll take a walk outside." She informed before quickly standing up.

Zuko's head snapped up and he looked at her in worry. "_Alone_?"

Mai raised an eyebrow. "Um… yeah."

Zuko looked at her for a few seconds and she noticed that his eyes hid a feeling that she couldn't quite put her finger on. He finally nodded. "Okay."

She smiled and wondered what he was really thinking. She shrugged it off. Rounding the table to leave, she stopped when she heard Zuko calling her name. "Mai!"

"Yes?"

"Be careful."

He didn't really know why he was worrying so much, especially when he knew that Mai was capable of protecting herself. But he could feel a burden on his stomach as if something _bad_ lurked in the corner, waiting for the right time to appear. He had a bad, _bad_ feeling.

But then again, he was always one of those that worried a lot and were very pessimistic. It was just a walk—what could happen to her?

Mai nodded slowly and walked outside, her fingers brushing the knives that rested around her wrist.

When she got out, she noticed that the moon had gotten even bigger—if that was possible.

The echo of her feet meeting the ice was the only sound in the courtyard. It made her feel uneasy, but she kept walking anyway.

Sometimes her eyes would dart around, noticing shadows. She would sigh with relief when she would see that they were just that—shadows. Somehow, the light that the moon eliminated made things look even darker that night.

She shook her head to get those thoughts out of her mind. "Now, I'm just being like Zuko."

She noticed that she had walked a bit too far when her feet touched the ground of the bridge that led to the main city. She looked behind her shoulder; the palace was far behind her.

"Maybe I should go back." She murmured to herself, whirling around.

"I don't think so… _my Lady._"

* * *

"It first started as harmless gossip: some people were mad that we had all trusted the Fire Nation, when they could be so many things we could do to take back what's been lost." Chief Arnook started, oblivious to Zuko's worry. "But as time went by, they created a team. They call themselves _huán__*_ and they all bear the mark of a circle on the upper arm. We fear that they might start a rebellion—being doubted by people is the last thing we need right now."

Zuko listened as much as he could in his daze of worry and nodded. Aang hadn't told him much about the situation but he kind of expected something like this. They had taken care of similar situations. "Avatar Aang is coming here next week to take control of the situation."

"Yes. I know." Arnook said. "But I'm afraid that he isn't really aware of the danger. You see, the huàn are skilled warriors and as far as I know they are non-benders. I fear that they have spread across the world—Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation as well."

"They can't have influenced a lot of people, they just started." Zuko tried to reason.

"Yes, but we have to stop them before the situation gets out of hand."

"I will see to it once I get back." Zuko nodded. "For now, all I can do is send a hawk to my advisors to enhance the city's guarding."

Arnook gave a thankful nod before continuing. "We have proof that they…" He kept talking, but the young Firelord couldn't listen anymore. His heart clenched painfully and the breath was crushed out of his lungs, his concern and worry for Mai got the best out of him.

For some reason, the bad feeling was getting stronger. He had to find her.

When he could breathe more easily, he stood up. "I'm sorry, Chief Arnook, but I have to find Mai. _Now_."

The stern tone in his voice stopped the flow of Arnook's words and he watched as Zuko ran out of the room and disappeared in the darkness of the night.

"Send some of the guards out." Arnook ordered, hoping that Zuko's worry was nothing but a stupid worry.

* * *

Mai's amber eyes narrowed as she looked at the direction where the voice came from. The voice was cold, slithering, like that of a snake.

"Who's there?" Mai asked; her expression a perfect emotionless mask.

The figure stepped out. Mai couldn't see much since he was dressed in black clothes that covered everything but his eyes, which were pitch black. His gaze was deathly but Mai didn't shift under it. The moonlight fell on something the man was holding and it gleamed, catching the Firelady's attention. Sword.

Mai reached inside her sleeves and pulled out a knife, getting into a fighting stance.

"Now, now. I don't think that fighting is wise." The man said softly. His tone was mocking and it made Mai want to toss the blade that she held to his heart.

Mai tried to control the frantic beating of her heart when she heard footsteps coming from every direction. Soon enough, she was encircled by seven more men with swords and bows.

Fighting didn't seem wise, indeed. But Mai was never one of those that gave up. Who were those men, anyway? And what did they want from her? Fear made her knees buckle, but she kept up her emotionless façade, determined not to let them see her hesitation.

They started walking towards her—creeping was more like it. She couldn't let them get any closer. With a swift motion of her arm, the blade spun in the air and fell one inch away from the shoulder of one of them, dragging the fabric with it, pinning him onto the ground. She shot one more on his other shoulder, making sure that he wouldn't break free.

Turning her attention to the others, she threw shuriken stars and blades as fast she could. Her aim was perfect and precise, but the men were swift and agile. They avoided the knives expertly as if they had been trained.

Mai let out a sigh of relief when she managed to pin another man down. Another one came closer, two swords in his gloved hands.

The man wasn't as good as Zuko at handling the swords, but he proved to be a challenge. Mai ducked and jumped to avoid his hits as she tried to keep the other men away as well.

The spirits weren't on her side, it seemed, since she realized that she was running out of knives. She hadn't really thought of wearing a lot of them—she was on her honeymoon, after all—but the dagger that Zuko had given her rested on her sash and it should be able to hold them off for a while.

With a swift motion of her legs, she kicked the man's feet and he fell down, one of his swords slipping out of his grasp and flying some feet away.

The few seconds that the man was down gave her the opportunity to deal with the others. Using the dagger, she managed to avert the swing of a sword, but soon enough her grip gave out and the dagger was sent a few feet away from her.

Cursing under her breath, she pinned the man down. Now having just two shuriken stars, she hoped that she would find a way to escape.

She was about to throw one of her shurikens, when something hit the back of her knees, making her fall on the ground.

One of the men stood above her, arrow ready on his bow, aiming at _her_.

* * *

Zuko ran as fast as he could, hoping that he would be proven wrong. His head snapped around various directions, searching for her in the night.

"She can't have gone too far." He tried to reason, cursing the fact that it was too dark for him to see.

Somewhere in the distance, he could hear sound, but he couldn't tell whether it was the sound of the water that flowed in the city canals or that of fighting.

"For Agni's sake, Mai, where are you?"

Fear and worry covered every cell of his body as his golden eyes looked around trying to find her. He remembered the small encounter earlier that evening. She had made a promise. '_You will never lose me_,' she had said. What if his worst fear came true?

And that was when he heard it. A small cry of pain. And it belonged to the person he hoped it wouldn't.

"Mai."

He ran again, feet hitting the ice with amazing speed, wanting nothing else but to find her.

* * *

Mai crept on the ground, her hands slipping onto the wet ice. The man above her came closer as she backed away. It almost looked like a never-ending dance.

From the corner of her eyes she could see the sword that had slipped away from the man's grip gleaming. If only she could get near it.

"Look at that. The Firelady trapped like a mouse." The archer snickered. "Pathetic."

"You know what's pathetic?" Mai snickered back, as if she wasn't the one threatened. "Not having the courage to show your faces. _That's_ pathetic."

And then it came, just like she had predicted. The arrow left its bow and it flew towards her, aiming at her heart. In her daze, she reached for the sword. The small movement brought her heart out of the arrow's target and it fell on her shoulder.

She cried out. For once in her life, she cried out.

She felt hot, red liquid sliding down her arm, covering her clothes with crimson stains. Her hand flew on her shoulder instinctively, hoping that it would somehow take the pain away.

She tried as hard as she could not to show emotion; this would make them even more pleased. But the pain was too much to bear. She didn't scream again, though.

Her head pounded. The blood ran down, making a pool in the ice. The striking contrast was too terrifying to look at. She got dizzy and everything swirled in front of her to the point that she could no longer see the man in front of her. She shook her head weakly, trying to get to the sword once again.

The archer brought out another arrow. This time, he would make sure that it would fall on her heart.

Mai closed her eyes. She couldn't get to the sword; the pain was too much to move. Maybe the arrow had pierced her heart. Maybe it was all over.

The image of Zuko came to her mind and she smiled weakly. He wouldn't let him alone. If she did, he would break down. He would be crushed. She knew it.

Breathing heavily, her hand reached for the sword once again. From the corner of her eye, she saw the arrow flying towards her.

And then everything happened too fast. Mai closed her eyes waiting for the end. She barely heard a voice shouting her name, when suddenly she was enveloped in heat. _That's how being dead feels like? _She thought.

It took her some seconds to realize that the heat was coming from a wall of fire that had emerged a few steps in front of her, stopping the arrow from hitting her. A figure stood behind it, its hands spread out protectively in front of her body.

She then heard the hooded men shouting something about guards and after a few minutes, the fire died down.

The figure ran to her and it fell on its knees. "Mai!" Two hot hands fell on her cheeks, cuddling her face. "Oh Agni, Mai." The voice was sobbing. "Bring a healer!"

Mai shook her head weakly. The voice was familiar and she would never forget who it belonged to.

Zuko.

"Oh, Mai. Please be okay. Hang on." He pleaded, his hands caressing her face. "Ugh, this is all my fault."

Mai almost laughed at the last statement. If it weren't for the pain she would have slapped him. She weakly opened her eyes. "Will you stop shouting? You're making me dizzy." She managed to say, her voice weak.

Zuko's happy and relieved smile was so big that it made Mai want to smile as well. "Mai! Oh, Mai!"

The strong hands brought her on his chest, cuddling her close until the healer came.

**Phew. **

**Took me a while to finish that.**

**The assassination attempt is finally here!**

**I feel so terrible for destroying their honeymoon. But it was about time this story started. It felt like it had no actual plot.**

**I know that it is a bit dramatic, but that's me. **

**I felt bad for Zuko.**

**And I didn't mean to make Mai look weak, because we all know that she isn't. She tried to fight until the end, but it was eight vs. one.**

**I also didn't mean to humiliate the North Pole with the whole 'drunk' thing. I just wanted to point out that they are really open-hearted.**

_**Dear lj,**_

_**Since your review was anonymous, I'll answer from here.**_

_**First of all, thanks for reading and reviewing. Even negative criticism is welcome. I'm really sorry that you didn't like the vows in the first chapter. It wasn't my favorite part of the story, either, but I figured out that since they are getting married, something should be said. I'm sorry, but I'm not going to cut the part out. **_

_**I hope you enjoy the rest of the story.**_

**Anyway, I hope you like the chapter. I did my best. I hope it's good.**

**Don't forget to review because I love reviews!**

**And requests are welcome.**

**You should also check my two other Maiko stories, if you like.**

**Stay flamin'!**

***huàn means **_**circle**_** in Chinese.**

**~Dora.**


	6. Chapter 6

Every second passed agonizingly slowly for Zuko. He paced around the room, his eyes never leaving the sleeping form of Mai. The healer had told him that everything would be fine, the wound wasn't poisoned or infected and it wasn't deep enough for him to worry.

But how couldn't he? When he saw her lying in a pool of crimson blood, he felt his heart stop beating. He felt the color drain from his face and the breath being crushed out of his lungs. He hadn't realized that he had been sobbing until he felt his body shaking from the force.

When he heard her voice, when he heard her joking all the feeling came back to him. The flood of emotions was almost too much to bear. She was alive, she was breathing and she even had the energy to be _sarcastic_.

He stopped pacing, realizing how useless it was, and sat on the bed next to her. As if feeling his presence, she shifted closer to his warmth. He smiled and clutched her hand in his, holding on for life. "I'm so, so sorry, Mai." He whispered in the darkness. Resting his head on a pillow, he kept looking at her, almost afraid of blinking, as if the small movement would make her disappear.

Mai's eyes opened up a few hours later, the sharp pain on her shoulder made it impossible to sleep. The place was dark and there wasn't much that she could see. She guessed that she was on a bed, probably back to the cottage. Trying to stretch, she could feel her muscles aching, her earlier fight making them tense.

She could feel a hot hand around her fingers and soft breathing hitting her neck, but other than that nothing. She was too dizzy to notice anything else anyway.

She didn't remember much after the fight; only Zuko's arms around her and then someone pulling the arrow out of her wounded shoulder. The last thing she could recall was Zuko's voice whispering: _'Sleep, Mai. Sleep.'_

She rubbed her eyes with her uninjured hand and tried to straighten up. Her head pounded, tempting her to stop moving, but she didn't.

"Careful there." A soft voice whispered from next to her, pushing her back onto the pillows gently.

"Zuko." She rasped, her eyes finally focusing.

He was lying on her right side, his fingers linked with hers. He was smiling but his eyes hid concern and worry in their depths. He hadn't changed clothes from the previous night, which meant that he hadn't had any sleep, but his hair was down. Mai, however, was wearing comfortable black pants and a red tunic.

She pushed herself closer to him, burying her head in the crook of his neck, enjoying the feeling of his warmth.

"Hey." He whispered, moving his hand to caress her cheek. "How are you feeling?"

"Just a little bit sore." She answered, already forgetting the pain. She always seemed to forget things when he was around.

She felt him moving, as he reached for something that rested on the night table. "Here." He whispered softly, giving her a cup. Using a little heat on his fingertips, he warmed the green liquid up. "This will make the pain go away for a while."

He helped her sit up and the pain in her head became more intense, making her groan.

"Are you okay?" Zuko asked as she took a sip from the bitter liquid. Everything in his stance indicated how much he worried; his voice was trembling. One of his hands was reaching for her, seeking to help her. His brow was furrowed and his lips were frowning.

"I'm fine, Zuko. It just hurts a bit." She tried to reassure him, moving her hand to his cheek weakly.

His eyes closed in an attempt to stop the tears that threatened to fall down his cheeks. "Mai, this is all my fault. I shouldn't have let you go alone. What was I _thinking_?"

"No." She said as firmly as she could. "They had planned it all along. _I _should have been more careful." She sighed. The pain was slowly receding. For the first time, she reached to touch the covered wound, wincing a bit.

"I was afraid that the arrow might have been poisoned. _Thank Agni_ it wasn't. The healer did as much as she could. She'll come for another therapy session this evening." Zuko informed her, staring at the wound with teary eyes. "I was almost too _late_." He closed his eyes again, the memory of Mai almost being killed making his heart clench in pain.

"You were just in time. Thank you." She said softly, making him shake his head. "Who were those men, anyway? And what happened to them?" She asked quickly before he had time to say anything else.

"You had most of them taken care of." Zuko said with a proud smirk. "Chief Arnook said that they were the huàn, the non-benders Aang told us about. The guards locked them up."

Mai nodded, absorbing the information. Somehow, she had expected this. "And what did they want from me?"

"They're still being questioned. Arnook suggested that I question them myself, but I didn't want to leave you alone." He sighed then, his hands cupping her face. "Mai, if I'd lost you, I…" He trailed off, the thought too painful for him to continue.

Mai knew the feeling. She had lost him too many times in the past. And she had spent too many hours of her life thinking that _he_ was dead. She would often feel useless and desperate, knowing that she could do nothing to help him. When Azula shot that bolt of lightning at him—almost too close to his heart—and he fell onto the ground, he could have been dead. She could have lost him _forever_.

"I promised, didn't I?" She whispered softly, resting her forehead against his.

Zuko was grateful for the contact—it made him realize that she was really _there_, alive. "Yes. You did." He whispered back and once again he was grateful that she was so skilled with knives, otherwise she wouldn't have stood a chance.

He slowly leaned forward, letting his lips touch hers. It was slow and tender, mostly like a confirmation that she was safe. Zuko treasured every second, every move of her lips, realizing just how close he had gotten to losing her forever. For Mai, the kiss was comforting, it took any hint of pain away and filled her with relief. The lack of oxygen made her dizzy, though, and she pulled back too soon for her liking, falling back onto the pillows, her hair creating a pool of black around her.

"You should probably eat something." Zuko advised, brushing away some bangs that fell over her eyes.

She didn't have the energy to argue, so she mumbled a soft 'okay'. Zuko smiled in return but quickly frowned when Mai tried to stand up. "Mai, maybe you should stay—"

"I don't want to sit here all day." She rasped, rolling her eyes. "Just help me sit up."

Zuko sighed in defeat and helped her, wincing when he heard her groan. "Ugh, I hate feeling dizzy."

"You lost a lot of blood." Zuko whispered, almost afraid at saying the words. He wrapped a hand around her waist and helped her walk to the fireplace room. Mai's eyes widened when she noticed that the sun had just risen—she had completely lost track of time. "The healer said that you're going to feel lightheaded for a while."

Helping her sit on a cushion next to the mahogany table, his eyes fell on the wound that was too close to her heart. Once again, his thoughts travelled to the possibility of losing her. He was grateful that she was alive, but when he realized just how close she had come to death, just because of some bastards, it made him want to scream.

"It's just a scratch." Mai said, noticing his gaze.

"Mai, I know how bad it is." He answered; his voice a little bit sharp. "I'll stop weeping around eventually." He tried to joke, shrugging his shoulders.

Mai smiled. "Good. Now bring me some food."

Zuko chuckled and went to the kitchen, returning some minutes later with a tray in his hands. "Here." He said softly, placing it on the table and proceeded on making a fire.

Mai smiled thankfully and dug in the food with little appetite. "I think that we should question those men ourselves." She suggested after some minutes of silence.

"I don't know." He sighed. "I'm not sure that I'll be able to stop myself from killing them."

Mai rolled her eyes. "Your temper is not that bad. Besides, whatever those men want, it has to do with us."

"Yeah, I know. Chief Arnook said that they hate the Fire Nation." He admitted, sitting on a pillow next to Mai. "I have a feeling that they're not going to answer to anyone else."

"Yes, that's what I think, too." Mai agreed, finishing her bowl of rice. "They knew who I am. One of them called me 'Firelady'. And they had been trained for avoiding my knives—that's why I had a hard time pinning them down."

"What could they want from you? You just became Firelady; you didn't have time to make them angry!" Zuko tried to reason, letting out a frustrated sigh. "Arnook said that the huàn have probably spread across the world." He informed her, filling her in the information she had lost.

"We have to find out anything we can then."

"Fine." Zuko agreed. "What about this evening? After the therapy session?"

"Sounds good." She said, wrapping her arms around Zuko's neck. "Until then…" She indicated the rest of the sentence with a deep kiss.

"_Mai_." Zuko moaned against her lips, pulling back reluctantly. "You're hurt—how can you even think about _that_?"

Mai rolled her eyes. "I'm _still_ on my honeymoon." She reminded him before kissing him again.

Zuko didn't complain this time as he carried her to the bed. He had to be reminded a couple of times that she wasn't made out of glass, though.

****oOo****

"Just drink the herbs I gave you and you will be fine, dear." Izumi, the healer, said to Mai. She was a kind woman in her early sixties. Her white hair was pulled back in a ponytail, which was decorated with blue beads. Her face, although wrinkled, held a soothing expression that made Mai feel comfortable.

Mai nodded, rubbing her shoulder which felt definitely better after the cool liquid Izumi had worked on her shoulder. "When will I be able to remove the bandages?"

"It's too early to tell, dear. I'll come for a therapy session every evening. You are already getting better, so it shouldn't be long."

"And what about the dizziness?" Zuko, who was leaning on the door frame casually, asked.

"It'll go away with a good night's sleep." Izumi said, putting on her gloves again. "Fruit, especially oranges, can also help."

"I already feel better." Mai informed, recalling just how much _better_ she had felt in the morning.

"That's good. I'll see you tomorrow evening."

"Thank you."

Izumi walked out of the cottage, leaving the couple alone once again. "See? I told you there's nothing to worry about!" Mai said to Zuko, who rolled his eyes.

"Can you blame me for worrying?" Zuko asked. "For all we know, they could strike again!"

Mai nodded, knowing that they would come back—whether it was for revenge or because they wanted her dead. "That's why we have to find out everything we can today."

Zuko nodded and soon enough they were both dressed in comfortable, red, furry coats—Zuko refusing to wear his diadem despite the fact that he was going to question prisoners—and out of the house.

Zuko couldn't help but feel proud of Mai—despite everything she had gone through she was just as tough as she used to be. He, himself, had stopped weeping around just like he had promised. Realizing that she was alive and had plenty of energy, he decided to concentrate on the huàn.

It took a while to reach the palace, but once they did, they found out that things were hectic. The guards were running around, having been given tasks to do and Chief Arnook was pacing in the middle of the throne room, tapping a finger on his chin in a thoughtful manner.

The couple made its way around the guards, careful not to pump on them.

"Chief Arnook." Zuko shouted, breaking the man out of trance of thought. "I'm sorry to interrupt you."

"Lord Zuko!" Arnook greeted. "Not at all." He motioned for them to follow him. "Lady Mai, I'm delighted to see that you are okay. You have my humble apologies for what happened."

"It wasn't your fault, Chief. I have a feeling that they were planning it for a while." Mai said, putting her emotionless mask on—she would need it for what was to come.

Chief Arnook led them down a corridor and into a much quieter room, where they could have a private conversation. "I assume you are here to interrogate the offenders?"

Zuko nodded. "We believe that it's us they want—since the huàn hate the Fire Nation."

Arnook nodded, his brow furrowing in thought. "They have told us nothing so far, in spite of the ability of our interrogators. We don't want to go as far as to torment them—it's against the nature of a waterbender."

"We understand." Zuko said, nodding solemnly. As much as he hated those men, he couldn't bring himself to tormenting or killing anyone. That was something Ozai would do and he wasn't Ozai—he had managed to figure that out two years ago.* "That's why we're here."

The water tribe man nodded thankfully. "We hadn't managed to extract a lot of information. We have reasons to believe that they're not the masterminds—they are far too stupid for that. There must be someone else behind it."

Both Mai and Zuko nodded, absorbing the information. None of them knew how exactly they were going to make the men talk, but they both knew that they had to try.

There had been a lot of rebellions in the last two years—all of them had been handled with precision and care. Zuko had had a hard time proving himself to the people of the other Nations, but after some time he was respected as he should be.

None of the previous rebellions had aimed at someone else but Zuko and the thought that the people he loved were in danger scared him. He would do everything to end this.

"We'll try to learn as much as possible." Mai said in a dry tone, practicing the porcelain mask she hadn't worn for a while.

"Lady Mai, I had some servants find your weapons." Arnook said, motioning to a small crest that rested on a table. "Our blacksmiths fixed any damages, despite their inexperience with steel."

Mai smiled thankfully and rushed to the wooden table, opening the box. She let out a small sigh of relief when her eyes fell on the dagger that Zuko had given to her the day of the wedding. She caressed the sheath and left it on the box, determined to keep it safe.

Filling her empty holsters with knives and shuriken stars, she walked back to the men. "Thank you, Chief."

"You're welcome. You were lucky to carry those things with you." Chief Arnook noted, before proceeding on leading them out of the room. "They are all locked in guarded cells in our dungeons and we have taken strict security measures. They won't be able to hurt you, in case the thought occurs to them."

"Are they members of the huàn?" Zuko asked, pronouncing the name with disgust.

"We don't know. They haven't admitted anything." Chief Arnook replied. "We can only guess."

Arnook came to an abrupt halt in front of a huge ice wall, two guards standing at each side. With a small wave of his hand, the wall split in two, creating a small path for Mai and Zuko.

"That's where they are kept." Arnook answered to their questioning looks. "Good luck."

Mai and Zuko looked at each for a few seconds, bracing themselves for what would come, before going through the small gap that Arnook had opened for them.

Tightening their grip around each others' fingers, Zuko and Mai gasped at the sight before them. The dungeon was made out of thick, blue ice—just like they had expected. What they weren't prepared for, however, was the fact that the cells were made out of ice as well. The bars, the floor, the ceiling—everything was made out of thick, unbreakable ice. Only a waterbender could free those men.

"Hmph." Someone huffed in disgust. "Look who's here." Mai recognized the voice immediately—it was slithering and cold. Glaring at the cell that the man was in, she got closer; Zuko following closely behind her.

The man was dressed in cheap, furry clothes. Now that he didn't wear the hood, Mai could see that the rest of his face was cold and emotionless as well. Thin lips were set in a firm line on a clenched jaw. Black sideburns covered his pointed cheekbones, starting from rich, black hair. The pitch-black eyes were the only thing that held emotion. Mai felt as though they were piercing holes on her skin, burning away everything.

The ink-like orbs moved to look at Zuko, who shifted closer to Mai protectively. The young Firelord glared at the man, who glared back with hatred and disgust. The other cells remained quiet during the encounter. Zuko made sure to make his glare as cold as possible.

The man's eyes danced between Zuko's golden and Mai's copper ones, none of them looking away for some long seconds. It looked like an eternal battle between the sun and the night, until the man spoke, his voice dripping with poison. "Why are you here?"

"You know why." Zuko said quietly, his words echoing in the freezing dungeon. "Who are you?" Zuko's voice changed unconsciously into the authoritative tone he used as Firelord. "And what do you want?"

The man let out a shrilling chuckle. "What makes you think that I'll answer to you… _my_ _Lord_?" He pronounced the last two words mockingly, making Zuko clench his fists.

"What did you want from Mai?" He inquired, his tone sharp as steel.

"You'll find out soon enough, when she'll be lying in a pool of blood with a knife stabbed on her heart!" The man snapped back, his vision blurring with hatred.

Mai was about to throw a knife at him, not caring where it would be pointed, but Zuko got there first. With a swift motion of his hand, he grabbed the man's shirt through the bars and lifted him of the ground, bringing him in the same level with his eyes. "You get close to her, you touch her once more and you won't live to see another day." Zuko threatened, his golden eyes looking in the pool of black.

The man writhed and struggled with his shackled hands to get way from Zuko's grip.

"Zuko, let him go. He's not worth it." Mai said dryly, putting a calming hand on Zuko's arm. Zuko let go of the man and he fell on the ground. Something that hung around his neck caught Zuko's eye. It was a black stone curved into the shape of a raven, hanging on a silver chain.

"That's exactly what I promised when they killed my wife and my children!" The man spat, making both Mai and Zuko widen their eyes in shock. "When the Fire Nation set my house on fire! Do you think I care about your little threat?" His raven eyes blazed; their look intense.

"Ozai has been defeated once and for all! What does Zuko and I have to do with it?" Mai rasped, glaring at the man.

"The Fire Nation is going to pay for my loss! For _our_ loss!" The man shouted. "You are going to feel the same pain that _I_ did." He whispered to Zuko. "We _will_ kill her."

By the time the man was finished, smoke was getting out of Zuko's fingertips. "You're obsessed." Zuko said quietly, despite his anger and the urge to shot a blast of fire on the man. "You won't get near to her. The huàn _will_ be stopped." Mai smiled at Zuko's trap. None of them had admitted that they were the huàn. If Zuko's trap worked, then they would learn who they were fighting.

"The huàn can't be stopped. We will defeat the Fire Nation—once and for all." The man blurted out without thinking. His anger got the best out of him and he didn't concentrate on what he was saying. Having the Firelord himself before him made him lose control. His only thought was revenge.

"How many are there?" Zuko asked. "Where have you spread?"

"Too many for you to handle." The man blurted out, determined not to reveal any other information.

"Where have you spread?" Zuko asked again, his voice rising with each word.

The man just laughed. "What does it matter?" He snapped. "People will see that you're cruel, just like you _father_."

Zuko's eyes widened. Being like Ozai was his worst fear.

Mai got matters in her own hands then. _No one_ was allowed to say that to Zuko. Ignoring the pain, she grabbed the man's collar and pointed a knife too close to his throat. "Another word and I'm going to rip your head off!" She threatened—yes she had agreed that tormenting the prisoners is cruel, but she had said nothing about threatening them.

The man glared at her but gulped loudly.

"Now, you'll answer to our questions without any complaints or comments—do you hear me?" Mai said, her voice being a combination of a bittersweet, threatening and uninterested tone.

The man nodded, although he was determined not to let too much slip out of him.

"Where have you spread?" She asked sweetly, but her glare was deadly.

"Everywhere." The man replied, making sure his voice didn't shake. "Even at the Fire Nation!"

Mai nodded slowly, while Zuko tried to hide a proud smirk that appeared on his face. Agni, she could do _anything_ with those knives.

"Raven!**" A voice from another cell called. "You said enough already!"

Neither Mai nor Zuko bothered to look at the other cell. "Raven, huh?" Zuko inquired, setting his jaw. He was sure that the nickname hid a meaning—it sure had something to do with the black locket around his neck and the color of his eyes. But there was something more, something that Zuko couldn't put his finger on.

"What's your real name?" Zuko asked, while Mai didn't withdraw her knife.

The man arched an eyebrow, indicating that he wasn't going to say anything.

"You heard him!" Mai rasped boringly. "What is your real name?"

"Is it that hard to figure it out?" He snapped and stopped talking when he was reminded by the cold steel of Mai's blade that _he_ was the one behind the bars.

"Ugh. Forget it." Zuko groaned. He moved closer to the prisoner and bent so that he would be in the same level with his eyes. "Who are you working for?"

The man stayed silent. Zuko sighed—he knew that he wouldn't answer. "Who is it?"

The man just glared, the blade on his neck stopping him from letting out the sadistic laugh he wanted.

"Is he some kind of an animal, too?" Mai inquired, noticing the black raven around his neck.

Raven didn't answer. Mai shot Zuko a look, trying to make him understand what she was thinking. He nodded and straightened up. Walking to the next cell, he grabbed the collar of another man that rested on the ground. Copper stone was carved in what looked like a lion. "Armadillo lion." Zuko said, moving to the next cell. "And that's a boar-q-pine."

"That explains a lot." Mai murmured, trying to find the secret meaning of the names.

"I'm never going to tell you who I work for." The man said, getting tired of the situation.

"We know." Mai answered plainly. "But we will find out, eventually." She looked over at Zuko, asking a silent question, and he nodded. With that, she let the man fall to the ground, placing the knife back to its holster.

"We'll come again." Zuko said, taking Mai's hand in his own. They both walked to the door and one of the guards that were in the dungeon opened it up for them.

"And we'll be waiting." Raven answered; his tone mysterious.

They both let out a relieved sigh when they got out of the room. The tension of the 'conversation' had left both of them exhausted.

As they walked back to the throne room, where Chief Arnook was waiting, they knew that it was going to be a long day. They had a lot to ponder and figure out.

"Maybe Aang should come earlier." Zuko said, already dizzy by the information they had managed to get.

"Yeah, maybe he should."

**Finally! Some action! **

**So, the first information is revealed! **

***That's a reference to the Promise! **

****I know that Avatar world has strange animals, but there were some animals such as Bosco, the Earth King's pet bear, that were normal animals. So, I thought that ravens could exist, as well. I'm going to use some other normal animals as well.**

**I really hope you like it because I worked a lot on this chapter! And here it is! With a generous amount of spicy Doritos, it is served on your monitors!**

**Anyone out there who read the Promise Part 2 and wants to discuss about that Maiko scene? I feel so angry! I'm not going to say anything more, otherwise there would be spoilers.**

**Guess what? I got a request! A Maiko request! Yay! I'm going to work on it this weekend!**

**Oh! I'm also on deviantART! I just became a member and uploaded some Maiko works (drawing and fanfiction) that aren't that good compared to the other works, but I feel so excited! You can find me as Doritos1996 on deviantART.**

**I love the changes in fanfiction! Image manager is so cool!**

**Anyway! Please review! I need feedback desperately :P Like a little turtle-duck needing bread! **

**Flameo! And review!**

**~Dora**


	7. Chapter 7

**Enjoy!**

The next day, the sun had just risen, brightening up the dark sky, when Aang arrived on Appa—who seemed exhausted after the urgent ride—bringing Katara, Sokka, Toph and Suki with him. Sleep was out of the question when they landed—all they wanted was to learn what had happened.

They were all sitting in one of the rooms Chief Arnook had kindly offered to them for their stay. Zuko and Mai explained everything to them with as much detail as they could. The group absorbed the information silently, apart from some gasps coming from Katara, who sympathized with the men.

"Let me get this straight." Sokka began, raising his hands in an attempt to stop Zuko from saying anything else. "You have eight guys down there, who are members of some sort of 'freaking out because my family is dead' organization."

"That's right." Mai nodded, smiling at her friend's remark.

"And they are 'the huàn', by the way." Zuko corrected, relieved that his friends were finally there.

"Whatever. They're just a bunch of dummies." Toph pointed out, stretching out her bare legs on a table. The young earthbender was confident, sometimes _too_ confident.

"It's not funny, Toph!" Katara argued, looking disapprovingly at her aloof friend. "No matter what those people do, the war still hurt them and they think revenge is the only solution." Her eyes closed, trying to stop her tears from running down her cheeks as she continued. "I almost did that when I found the man that took my mother away." Her fingers caressed her mother's necklace subconsciously. The young waterbender was really sensitive when it came to her lost mother. She valued her family and was more than happy that she had such great friends, but none of them could replace the motherly figure that she missed from her life.

Aang wrapped a hand around Katara's, his grey eyes filling with love and compassion. Katara squeezed his fingers, thanking him silently.

"I know how you feel about your mother, Katara." Zuko said softly, careful not to get to the waterbender's bad side. He, himself, had lost his mother and he missed her as much as Katara did. "But this is different. They tried to kill Mai!" He tried to reason, his face flushing with anger at the thought once again. "We _must_ stop them."

"Zuko's right." Aang agreed; rubbing Katara's back soothingly. "No matter what their motivations are, we have to do everything we can to protect the world." His words were soft and careful, showing the right amount of love and logic.

After a long pause, Katara sighed and nodded, knowing that her hesitations were unreasonable. Everyone had risked too much to stop this war and risking the peace they had accomplished because of her kind feelings sounded irrational. Burying the compassion deep inside, she let determination take its place.

"So, you said that they bear names of animals?" Sokka asked when he saw that his sister had calmed down.

"Yes. One of them was called Raven." Zuko explained, running his hands through his brown locks. He and Mai had spent all night trying to figure out what those names mean, but they didn't have any luck. Just when they thought that they had found something, it would slip away, leaving them with more doubts than before. The thought drove Zuko crazy. "I think he's the leader."

"And there was also an Armadillo Lion and a Boar-q-pine." Mai continued, tapping her perfect nails on the table nervously. No matter how much she had tried, she couldn't find a code—if there _was_ a code at all. Zuko covered her fingers with his gently, stopping their nervous movement. Immediately, she felt calmer.

"So, you think there's something hidden behind those names." Suki said, her brow furrowing in concentration as she tried to find a possible meaning.

"Maybe there isn't—it could be only a way to keep their real names secret." Zuko pointed out. "Oh, and they all had some kind of a totem around their necks."

"Interesting." Sokka muttered, caressing his chin with his fingers. "You, my fellow Avatar Team Members, are lucky I'm here." His expression turned into a skeptic one and he crossed his fingers, as if waiting for applause.

"Really?" Aang asked. "Why?"

Sokka rolled his eyes—this wasn't the reaction he had been expecting. "Because I, my friend, am a quite capable detective. And if you want to be honest with yourselves, you have to admit that you would not have stood a chance in the past without me."

"Look, Snoozles, I don't mean to offend you or anything but we got serious business here and your fooling around is going to waste precious time." Toph said in a nonchalant tone, making Sokka frown.

"Well, don't mind my trying to help!" He huffed, crossing his hands in front of his slightly muscular chest.

"Guys, as much as I enjoy this, you fighting is the last thing we need right now." Mai said dryly, her tone indicating no emotion.

"Fine." Sokka said with a defeated sigh, disappointed that he wouldn't be able to use his spectacular skills. He maintained his stance stubbornly until he calmed down. "So, what's the plan?" He asked after some seconds, looking at Zuko expectantly.

"I...I don't know." Zuko admitted, pinching the bridge of his nose in despair. Mai squeezed his hand—she hated the fact that he had to be put under so much pressure. "Chief Arnook said that they have spread across the world, so I think this means that we have to separate."

"Makes sense." Aang agreed. "There must be a place where they're hiding—a hideout or something."

"Yeah, that's what we thought, too." Mai rasped. "Probably somewhere where it's too busy for anyone to notice."

"A big city." Suki agreed, nodding in acknowledgment.

"Okay everybody. Throw in ideas." Sokka said, scratching his head in thought.

"Well, it could be the Fire Nation Capital." Zuko suggested. "They would be closer to their aim that way."

"Or Ba Sing Se." Mai said. "It _is_ big and busy."

The rest of the group seemed to ponder over that for a while before Sokka finally said. "It must be Ba Sing Se—_everything_ happens in Ba Sing Se."

"Yeah!" Katara agreed. "And people in Ba Sing Se didn't suffer much from the war, so it is the place we would least suspect."

"And then, it's the air temples." Aang murmured. "I mean, the place is isolated and hardly anyone goes there. They could have used that to their benefit." He quickly added when he saw the questioning glances of the rest of the group.

"That makes sense." Zuko agreed; his face scrunched up in thought. "And some of them were here, in North Pole, so there could still be more."

"I think we got it all." Toph said. "Gee—how are we supposed to be at every place in the world at once?"

"We'll manage." Mai shrugged.

"So, who goes where?" Aang asked, looking around at the small group of his friends.

It was finally decided that Zuko and Mai would return to the Fire Nation, since they were its rulers, to find out as much as they could manage. Suki would go back to Kyoshi Island in case of any threat; while Sokka and Toph would depart for Ba Sing Se. Aang and Katara would travel to the Air temples, in case someone had used the abandoned place to their advantage. North Pole would be handled by Chief Arnook and his forces.

"Good. Now that everything is settled, let's go find some food. I'm _starving_." Sokka complained. It was more like a demand than a suggestion. He didn't wait for the others to agree as he got out of the room and down the icy stairs, running to the kitchen, with the other shrugging and following behind.

"I'm so sorry about your honeymoon, guys." Katara said, looking at the young couple sympathetically, as they all sat at one of the guest dining rooms, eating.

Mai shrugged, despite the fact that she had been enjoying herself. "It's okay; all that matters now is to stop the huàn before they get out of control."

"And besides," Toph added with a mischievous grin. "I have a feeling that, even with their honeymoon over, they are still _enjoying_ themselves."

Sokka burst out laughing to the point tears ran down his cheeks, while Mai raised an elegant eyebrow and Zuko blushed at the innuendo.

"Aww, look at that, Toph." Sokka crooned. "He's _blushing_—I think you are right."

Zuko buried his face in the wooden table. "Why do I even call you my friends?" He sighed, his voice muffled. Mai let out a throaty chuckle at the statement and ruffled his hair, unaffected by her friends' remarks.

"Because we are awesome, smart, good-looking and we have the Avatar." Sokka stated, as if the answer was obvious.

"It was supposed to be a rhetorical question!" Zuko said, letting out an exasperated sigh, which made the rest of the gang laugh even more.

"Guys, stop fooling around." Katara said, looking at her friends disapprovingly. "We have important things to discuss."

"Katara's right." Mai said in an attempt to save Zuko from his embarrassment. "We need to make plans."

"We already decided that we're leaving tomorrow." Aang pointed out. "Until we find out something, we can't make plans."

The rest of the group nodded solemnly, knowing that Aang's words were true.

"I know." Mai said dryly, rolling her eyes. "But say that we do find their hideout, then what? We can't barge in and defeat them, especially if their numbers are so big."

"Mai's right." Zuko agreed. "We _need_ a plan."

"Look," Aang started, scratching his arrowed head. "All we need to do is learn where they're hiding. Then, we'll make a plan and try to defeat them _together_."

Sokka grinned. "So, team Avatar is back."

****oOo****

"You know, despite the fact that I didn't want to come back, I'm glad for one thing." Mai murmured softly, as she flopped down on the comfortable, red-clad bed that rested in the middle of their huge room, back to the palace of the Fire Nation.

"And what is that?" Zuko asked curiously, falling on the mattress next to her.

"The food." She answered with a small chuckle, her stomach growling when she thought about the variety of spicy dishes that she could eat.

Zuko let out a surprised laugh. "I hadn't thought about that, but yes, it _is_ an advantage." Zuko agreed, brushing away some black bangs that fell over Mai's eyes. "Despite the fact that I didn't want to come back, either, I'm glad for one thing, too."

Mai raised an eyebrow in surprise. Zuko always saw the pessimistic side of events and this was a welcome change. "Really? And what is that?"

"Being with you." He shrugged, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Sokka and Suki had to separate and I'm just glad that you're here with me."

Mai smiled sweetly at her husband and cupped his cheek. "I'm glad, too." Leaning forward, she let her lips graze his softly, getting lost in the feeling of his hot lips moving against hers. Sighing contently, they pulled apart and fell on the mattress once again. "So, when is that meeting?"

"In a couple of hours." Zuko answered, frowning at the thought of his stubborn advisors and egoistic politicians that would fill the throne room soon enough. "I'll let the highest members of the council know about the huàn, but I'll make it clear that the situation will be handled by us."

"That's good." Mai approved. "We don't want any of them getting in our way—they would only manage to make things worse."

"I know." Zuko sighed. "Anyway, let's have someone bring us food; we still have some time until the meeting."

"That sounds like something Sokka would say." Mai laughed.

Zuko rolled his eyes. "You know, people that aren't Sokka can get hungry, too." He pointed out, making Mai laugh harder.

* * *

As the night fell, bringing the eerie darkness with it, far away from the Fire Nation, a hooded figure walked down an isolated street. Any hint of life and joy was long gone from the place, leaving only withered plants and demolished buildings behind it. Under the cover of the shadows, his body slithered around the corner of a collapsed building.

With the soft echo of his steps being the only sound that followed him, he walked towards the end of the street, stopping in front of another abandoned house. Looking behind his shoulder to make sure no one was following, he smiled wickedly to himself and knocked softly at the wooden, half-destroyed door.

After some seconds of waiting, the door opened just an inch, revealing the face of an old, ordinary-looking man. "Y-Yes?" He stuttered, trying to hide his gulp.

The hooded figure shot him a wicked grin and buried his hand under his shirt, only to bring out a small stone curved into the shape of a bear. "It's me, Yan." He whispered, his voice sharp as steel.

"Oh!" Yan opened the door wider, letting the hooded man step in. "C-Come in—they told me they'd be waiting for you."

The hooded figure didn't answer as he walked into the dark house. Looking around, he saw that the inside looked exactly like the exterior—ruined. Only a small, wooden table with a pair of chairs to his left and a weak fire burning into a small fireplace next to it were the only things indicating that someone was living there.

Looking to his right, he spotted what he was seeking. Over one of the broken walls, hang a needlecraft*, bearing the image of animals around a round lake. The man half-smile evilly.

Stretching his hand out, he gripped the material and pulled it down, revealing a big circle engraved on the wall. Inside the circle rested small dents in the shape of animals. Finding the dent he was looking for, the hooded man took out his totem and pushed it into the hole. It fit perfectly, which caused him to smirk again. For a fraction of second, nothing happened; but soon enough, the circle rotated twice, emerging out of the wall and rolling into one side, revealing a big hole-portal.

Neither Yan nor the hooded figure seemed fascinated by the sight, as both of them had gotten used to it.

The hooded figure stretched his palm towards Yan, waiting. The old man stumbled over to the fireplace. Lighting up a torch, he handed it to the man, his hands trembling in fear.

Slipping inside the hole, without glancing back to the old man, the totem bearer walked down a dark tunnel. He seemed to have memorized the steps by heart, since he knew the way. The tunnel took a lot of turns—looking more like a labyrinth than a tunnel—in an attempt to stop unwanted visitors. The man, however, wasn't unwanted, thus he knew which turns to take.

He came to an abrupt halt, when he stood outside of a massive door. The door bore engravings similar to the dents of the circle. Finding his totem again, he pushed it against another hole. The metal door creaked as it opened slowly, giving access to the man.

The place he stepped in looked more like a throne room. Everything was made out of grey stone. A long, purple carpet led to a throne that rested some feet away—two guards on each side.

The man who sat on the stone-made throne was buried in the shadows, letting the hooded man see only his folded hands and legs. Starting under the knee of his left leg, where flesh and bones should have been, was a metal device that replaced his limp—everybody guessed that it must have been cut in some battle.

The hooded man pulled down his hood and, gathering his courage, took steady steps towards the throne, falling onto one knee when he reached it.

"Bear." The man in the shadows acknowledged. His voice was mystical—almost ancient, like it was coming from some deep hollow. "I see you're here."

Bear nodded. "As you instructed, Panther."

"And what news do you bring?" Panther asked, being more interested than his voice indicated.

"My forces are ready." Bear answered. "Your plans will be executed tonight."

"I see that you wasted no time." The deep voice said in satisfaction. "And how many are there?"

"Seven, Panther."

A long pause followed, making Bear tremble in fear. "Will they be enough?" Panther asked.

"My forces are strong and have big prowess." Bear answered, suppressing his relieved sigh. "They will have no problem getting into the palace."

"Very well, then." Panther approved. "Do your job right and you shall be rewarded."

"I will, Panther." Bear vowed, having confidence in himself and his men.

"You are dismissed."

As Bear walked out of the room and onto the tunnel, the man in the shadows smiled to himself. "_Soon_." He whispered, his voice echoing in the darkness.

* * *

"That was so boring." Mai noted in a dry tone, as she and Zuko walked out of the throne room, where the meeting had been held. The two of them began walking back to their room, wanting nothing but to be left alone in their comfortable silence.

"I know." Zuko answered back, his voice rough from all the shouting. "I'm exhausted. If only those people actually listened to me for once, then everything would be better."

"They are afraid of losing their position—it's the only thing they care about." Mai said, huffing. "That's why they never want to discuss anything. Even if the whole world is in danger."

"At least they finally agreed to let _us_ handle the situation." Zuko sighed as they got in their room.

"Just imagine what would have happened if they were the ones handling it." Mai chuckled, taking off her pins so that her hair could fall down her back.

Zuko snickered. "Yeah, that would be fun to watch."

"Come on." Mai urged, pecking Zuko's lips. "Let's change and go to bed; I'm exhausted."

Zuko couldn't agree more with that statement. The two of them changed into comfortable clothes and slipped under the warm covers of the bed. Zuko stretched out his arm, letting Mai snuggle to his chest as they both drifted off to sleep.

That night, no one noticed the seven black-clad figures that crept in the shadows at North Pole, sneaking into the palace unnoticed.

**So, here it is. I know that everything is complicated right now, but the story will unfold in the next chapters. Go ahead and ask me anything that you didn't understand.**

**I'm still not sure if the names have a secret meaning or not. And I just can't come up with any secret meaning, so if you have any ideas, tell me.**

***Needlecraft is some short of a picture made out of needles and yarn. I don't know if that's how you people call it, so let me know if I got that wrong. I'm not a native speaker, after all.**

**This chapter is kind of short, but right now I'm too tired to continue. I tried to fit in as much Maiko fluff as possible. I'll try to do a better job in the next chapters.**

**I hope I got Toph and Sokka in character; they are really hard to write because they're so awesome!**

**So, some of the information is revealed. We finally got to see the bad guys. Panther is their leader :D I'm excited! Just when I thought that I had no idea how to continue this story, everything came to me!**

**Please review, because last time I got only two reviews and was really disappointed. It takes days for a writer to make a chapter, while it takes only one minute to write a review. So please!**

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**And stay flamin'!**

**~Dora.**


	8. Chapter 8

Sunray after sunray made its way through the thick layer of the red curtain. Falling on Zuko's face, it woke up his inner energy causing him to open his golden eyes unwillingly. He groaned in disappointment, knowing that waking up meant being busy with meetings, politicians, decisions, politicians, scrolls, politicians and more decisions. Zuko hated all of those.

Taking one last look at Mai, he held her closer to him for one second before slipping out of her embrace and proceeding on getting ready for the day. After washing, he put on his uncomfortable but yet elegant Firelord robes and pulled his hair up in an equally uncomfortable top knot.

"Is it morning already?" Mai complained, burying her head deeper in Zuko's pillow; the absence of his warmth waking her up.

"I'm afraid so." Zuko whispered. Sitting next to her, he stroked her silky hair. "You can sleep a little bit more if you want."

Mai shook her head despite the fact that the thought was tempting—_too_ tempting. "No, I have a lot of things to do today."

"Okay." Zuko said softly. "I don't have time for breakfast but I can have someone bring you some in my way."

Mai thought about it for a second before finally answering. "No; I'll just grab something from the kitchen." Slipping out of the warm covers, she stretched graciously, relaxing her tense muscles. The wound still hurt, so she still had to take her herbs. Mai, however, wasn't one of those people that would whine endlessly about pain, so she didn't really care.

Putting on her clothes, she filled her holsters with a considerable amount of knives and shuriken stars, adding some arrows on her leg holsters. Zuko looked at her in question, surprised at the number of the weapons she put on her body. "Training?" He guessed.

"Yes." She rasped, her voice hiding a fierce determination. "When they found me, I was out of shape. I'll get as good as I can."

"You are already perfect with your knives." Zuko said, knowing how precise and deadly she could be with those blades—and he loved her for that.

"I know." She muttered nonchalantly. "But perfect isn't enough." The fact that they had managed to defeat her bothered her more than he wound.

Zuko decided not to ask any more questions. He walked closer to her and kissed her lips softly; a kiss to which she responded eagerly by moving her lips against his. "I'll see you later." He whispered before grazing her lips with his once more. Taking a step back unwillingly, he looked at her with concern. "And be careful."

She rolled her eyes at his worry, showing him that it was needless. "I will." She promised, knowing that those two small words were going to stop his worry for the next few hours. "And Zuko," She called, just when he was about to leave the room. "Eat something." She reminded him, although she was sure that he would be so caught up with work that he would probably forget.

He shot her a grin before slipping out of the room, making Mai miss him already.

It turned out that Mai wasn't as out of shape as she thought. Now inside her special training room—which Zuko had made especially for her—her aim was precise and quick; her blades whirling in the air so fast that it was difficult for human eyes to follow their movements.

Her bronze eyes were narrowed, sharp as steel, focusing on her aims only. When she touched the knives and felt the deadly but yet comfortable weight between her fingers, it felt like nothing else existed—only she and her aim. All her surroundings disappeared.

People always thought that throwing knives was a skill she developed out of boredom, but people were blind. It was more than that; it was a way of life, a way to feel proud of herself.

Despite the fact that she was engrossed in her practice, she did hear the soft footsteps of someone approaching. However, she didn't turn around to look who it was. With an experienced move of her arm and fingers, she sent a knife flying behind her, pinning the person on the nearby wall.

"Whoa!" The voice exclaimed. "Relax; it's just me."

Mai let out a frustrated sigh. "Zuko! What were you thinking sneaking up on me like that?" Grabbing the knife that had torn the fabric of Zuko's sleeve, she gave it a twist and pulled it out, releasing the bewildered Firelord. "I could have killed you!"

"Sorry." Zuko said sheepishly, linking his fingers with hers. "I just like watching you; that's all." A dreamy smile crossed his face; he had always found watching Mai train interesting. Something about her black hair sticking to her damp cheeks, her slightly parted lips and her smooth fingers clutching the steel made him want to lean against a wall and watch her for hours.

"Next time, warn before you get in." She advised, relieved that she hadn't hurt him.

"I will." Zuko chuckled. "Are you done? I was thinking about taking a walk in the gardens." Zuko suggested, getting tired of working inside his office, where he could only see piles of papers and scrolls.

"Sure." Mai agreed, shrugging. "Just let me get my knives."

After securing all of her weapons in their holsters, she took Zuko's hand and together, they walked to the gardens. Finding their favorite spot by the turtle-duck pond, they leaned against the tree that provided them with welcome shade—even the sun was sometimes too hot for a firebender.

None of them spoke, but Mai could feel that something was bothering Zuko. "What is it, Zuko?" She finally asked, when she saw that he couldn't find a way to put his thoughts into words.

"It's just that…" He struggled to find the right words, almost afraid to speak them out loud. "I've been thinking—what if Azula is behind this?" He blurted out, frowning when his sister's name left his mouth. Zuko's 'family' had left a bigger scar, a scar that hurt even more than that of his face and chest and he was always too afraid to speak of his father and sister.

Mai eyes widened for a fraction of second before returning back to normal. "Could be." She finally agreed. "Azula has proved that she can do anything, so it wouldn't surprise me." Mai knew her old 'friend'. She knew more aspects of her than Zuko and she had realized how deadly she could be, that's why she had let Azula push her around.

Azula was always aware of the fact that she was better at everything. Zuko would always be nothing but a pathetic brother who kept trying, while she could achieve everything with little if not any effort at all. Knowing that her brother had reached happiness and had things that she could only dream of could bring her to the decision of starting a rebellion.

"I—I think that I'll go see her today." Zuko murmured, not particularly looking forward to seeing her. The Firelord hadn't seen his sister since the time she had marked him permanently with a bolt of lightning, almost bringing him to his death.

"I'll come with you." Mai said, her tone indicating that he couldn't convince her otherwise. Her hand moved to his chest, subconsciously, caressing the big scar—a reminder of Azula's craving for power. This time, if Azula did as much as lay a finger on him, she would be there.

"I'd like that." Zuko whispered; glad that he wouldn't have to face another dark aspect of his past alone.

Closing his eyes, he let the soft breeze caress his face as he inhaled the scents of the garden. Sighing contently, he brought his lips closer to Mai's. The two of them stayed there, in each other's arms, waiting for the unwelcome evening meeting with Azula, the piles of papers on Zuko's office forgotten.

****oOo****

The sanitarium was a depressing place. Despite the beauty of the gardens and the bright colors inside, anyone could feel that it was haunted by suffering people whose minds were long gone from their heads.

"With all due respect, my Lord, I do not believe that your visit will benefit your sister." Azula's physician, Jian, warned, concerned for his patient's well-being.

Zuko received a letter from Jian every month, which kept him up-to-date for Azula's treatment and improvement. The latter, however, didn't seem to be the case with Azula. No matter how much the physicians and healers tried, it always seemed like she sank deeper in her own world.

"No improvement so far?" Mai asked.

"I'm afraid so." Jian admitted. "There are days when she is… normal. But most of the time, she talks with imaginary people. The herbs we give her do little to help her condition. The healers could feel negativity while trying to heal her."

Zuko nodded, his face falling. No matter what Azula had done to him and the rest of the world, sometimes he couldn't help but regard her as his younger sister. The image of the small bundle in his mother's arms at the day of her birth never left him and sometimes he wondered how that innocent creature had turned into such a monster. He didn't know if he should blame Ozai or Azula for that. "Under other circumstances, I wouldn't even consider coming here." Zuko said. "But this is an emergency. It is a matter of great urgency."

Jian nodded in understatement. Not wanting to displease the royal couple, he told them to follow him.

The corridors consisted of normal rooms, where people that weren't so damaged were kept. Azula, however, was kept in what looked more like a colorful cell, since bars surrounded it.

Zuko inhaled sharply when he saw his sister—now sixteen—sitting in a dark corner of the room. The usually perfect-looking princess had turned into a freak. Her previously combed hair was now falling over her eyes in an unkempt manner. Her usually red-colored lips were now cracked and her powerful gaze had turned into an empty one. Mai's emotionless façade was spoiled by the widening of her eyes, but quickly turned back to normal, as she composed herself.

"Azula." Jian said softly, drawing the girl's attention. "You have visitors."

One of the princess' old smirks appeared on her uncolored lips when she spotted the couple. "Well, well. Look who's here." Her bittersweet tone brought back a lot of memories to Zuko. A variety of emotions run through his body: hatred, compassion, anger and understanding. Mai squeezed his fingers and he accepted her support eagerly. "Zuzu and his new Firelady."

The couple didn't answer, as none of them knew what to say.

"I'll be going, now." Jian informed. "Please, don't upset her." He whispered to the couple, before leaving the room.

Azula kept looking at the couple through the bars, her empty gaze filled with some of her old self. "To what do I owe this honor?"

When Mai saw that Zuko was too shocked to answer, she took matters in her own hands. "We are here to ask some questions." She informed, her tone bearing not even a hint of emotion. "And you are going to answer."

Azula huffed, crossing her arms in front of her chest. She didn't admit it, but she was secretly hoping that they both came here to see her. "I'm in no position to argue, am I?" She murmured. "Go ahead, Zuzu. Let's get this over with."

Zuko nodded, shoving his compassionate feelings aside. Taking a step closer to the bars, he looked at his sister. "Do you happen to know anything about _the huàn_?"

"Please, Zuko." She waved a hand dismissively. "How am I supposed to understand what you mean?"

Zuko explained patiently. "Rebels and Fire Nation haters." He said sharply, not really bothering to give more details to Azula. "They tried to kill Mai. They are threatening our peace. Does that remind you of anything?"

Azula shook her head. "All of those sound awfully entertaining, but no, Zuzu, I don't know anything about them."

"So, you're not behind this?"

Azula's eyes filled with anger at those words. Sitting up, she ran closer to the bars and wrapped her fingers around them, her knuckles turning white. "How could I?" She screamed. "In case you haven't noticed, I'm locked up behind those stupid bars! And there's no one to blame for this but you!"

Zuko looked at her with intensity, slightly affected by her harsh words.

Mai took a step forward. "Azula, calm down. We—"

"Don't talk to me, you _traitor_!" Azula snapped, her nostrils flaring. "Is _this_ why you betrayed me?" She asked harshly, gesturing at Mai's diadem that rested on her head. "To become the Firelady and keep me in a cell, out of your way?"

Zuko's hands curled into fists. "Shut up, Azula. She's not to blame for your mistakes."

Azula glared at her brother. "_She's_ the one who made mistakes! _She_ chose the wrong side."

"I've told you, Azula." Mai rolled her eyes, recalling the conversation they had at the Boiling Rock two years ago. "I wasn't going to let him die." Mai said in her typical nonchalant tone. "I made the right choice."

"_How sweet!_" Azula said sarcastically. "Look at you, now. In less than two years, you're incapable of keeping your so-called peace! You're pathetic!"

"If you weren't so blind with hatred and power, you would have made the right choices and we would be ruling together." Zuko said, reminding her once again of her mistakes. "I was wrong to come here."

"Go." Azula said more quietly. "I have no idea about those rebels. Leave me be."

"If I find out that you're behind this…" Zuko started, glaring at his sister, all previous compassion forgotten when his sister shouted at Mai. "You're going to pay."

The threat left Azula with a wicked smirk plastered on her face, as she watched the couple go.

****oOo****

The incident with Azula had left both Zuko and Mai confused and exhausted. It had been useless, since they earned nothing but Azula's angry insults. Somehow, despite the fact that Azula was known for her prowess at lying, they were pretty sure that she was telling the truth.

"One part of me hoped that she was behind this, so that we would know where to start from." Zuko sighed, rubbing his eyes tiredly.

"I know." Mai ran a hand up and down his arm in a soothing motion. "But we'll figure something out."

As they walked down a corridor of the palace, a servant caught up with them. "My Lord, my Lady." She bowed. "Two letters arrived for you while you were gone."

Taking the letter from the servant, Zuko looked at the scrolls questioningly. "Thank you." He dismissed the servant.

Entering their room, the couple unrolled the first scroll.

"It's from my parents." Mai rolled her eyes, before reading the words, occasionally frowning or raising her eyebrows. "They know we're back and they want us to have dinner with them—just like we promised." Shoving the parchment aside, she looked at Zuko expectantly.

"That's your choice, Mai." He said softly. "I go with whatever you choose."

Mai thought about it for a second, before finally nodding. "Tonight. Let's get it over with." She sighed, not really enjoying the fact that she would have to see both of them soon.

"I'll be with you." Zuko reminded her, wrapping her hand in his. "If they do or say anything that you don't deserve, I'll be ready." He said, half-jokingly, making Mai smile a bit.

"Alright." She said. "That's good to know."

Zuko took the other scroll and unrolled it. "It's from Chief Arnook." He said; his tone perplexed, before reading out loud so that Mai could hear.

"_Firelord Zuko and Firelady Mai,_

_I regret to inform you that the members of the huàn that we kept into our prison have _escaped!" Zuko read, the last word coming out in surprise.

"They have _what_?" Mai exclaimed, letting out more emotion than she had intended. "_How_?"

Zuko's good eye widened as he kept reading. _"Seven hooded men got into the palace and knocked out our guards. According to one of the dungeon guards, two of them were skillful waterbenders. They managed to break the ice of our cells, freeing the prisoners._

_We do everything that is in our power to find them. _

_I fervently hope that you have found some clues about the huàn._

_Chief Arnook."_

Silence filled the room for some seconds, as both Mai and Zuko tried to absorb the shocking information.

"They have benders." Mai whispered.

"No. This can't be happening!" Zuko tried to reason.

"They were the only thing that could get us closer to them and they just… _disappeared_!" Mai felt frozen. Somehow, knowing that some members of the huàn were locked up, gave her courage. She knew that if they couldn't achieve anything, they could always go back and ask more questions. But not anymore.

"Raven must be very precious to the huàn." Zuko guessed. "Whoever risked so much to get him out of prison must really think that he's valuable."

"He'll strike again." Mai shrugged, looking forward at taking her revenge. The thought of the slithering voice of Raven made her shiver, but she wouldn't let him touch her again. "I just know it."

"We'll be ready, Mai." Zuko said firmly, wrapping a strong arm around her frame. This time, he would be there and he wouldn't let Raven or anyone else do as much as lay a finger on her. "He won't hurt you."

"I know." Mai said, leaning on Zuko's chest, as he buried his head in her black hair. "I know."

The thought that they would deal with anything that would come to their way together made things look less threatening.

****oOo****

Far away from the Fire Nation, sitting on his stone-made throne, Panther looked down at the man that kneeled a few feet away from him.

"You disappoint me, Raven." His ancient voice whispered. "I was assured that you were the best choice for that task, but it turns out that I was wrong."

"No, Panther." Raven said, struggling to keep the fear out of his voice. "We had almost gotten to her when he appeared out of nowhere."

Panther nodded; his gaze intense under the shadows. "I know. That's why I gave you one more chance to prove yourself."

"I'm grateful." Raven nodded.

"Bear did a good job. He left no clue behind when his men freed you." Panther said, satisfied with Bear's work. "I expect nothing but the same from you."

"I promise you, Panther." Raven vowed. "I won't fail you again."

"That's what I like to hear." The man folded his hands under his chin, his elbows resting on each arm of the throne. "Now tell me—what did they learn?"

Raven tried to hide his terrified gulp. "N-not much." His voice quivered. "They know we are the huàn and they found out about our totems; but other than that nothing."

The man's teeth clenched with rage. "We must act quickly." He said; his voice calm despite his anger. "Before they learn anything else."

Raven nodded. "We'll strike soon, Panther."

"And this time—you _will_ succeed."

Raven nodded, knowing that if he did otherwise, it would cost him his life. And his life was the only thing he had.

****oOo****

"My Lord, is what Chonsin told me true? There really are people who want to take revenge on the Fire Nation?" Hiliana asked, as the four of them—Zuko, Mai and her parents—sat around a table, eating the food with little appetite.

"Please—just call me Zuko." Zuko muttered for what seemed like the hundredth time that night. "And yes—it is true. They tried to kill Mai at the North Pole."

"Yes, I know." Hiliana looked over at Mai disapprovingly. "I do not think that it is proper for someone of such high status as yours to leave from a feast alone!"

Mai just rolled her eyes. "No, it doesn't hurt that much, thank you for asking." She said sarcastically, ignoring her mother's remark.

"It's my fault—I should have gone with her." Zuko argued, shaking his head as the image of his hurt wife popped into his mind once again.

"No, my Lord—I mean, Zuko—don't blame yourself." Hiliana said softly. "Mai knows better than to roam in the night."

"The only thing that matters now is to deal with the huàn." Chonsin pointed out, bringing his wife's remarks to an end. "I fear that they have started affecting a lot of people." He said, running his fingers through his beard. "While I was at the market yesterday, a merchant started telling me how much he hates the Fire Nation."

Both Zuko's and Mai's head shot up. They shared a knowing look, before looking back to Chonsin. "Who was that merchant?" Zuko inquired, mentally hoping that this was the beginning they were seeking.

"I believe his name was Finn." Chonsin said. "If you're interested in him, I can bring you to him."

Mai smiled and nodded. Dinner with her parents didn't prove useless after all.

**So, here it is! I know it's a bit short, but I hope I explained some things in that chapter.**

**If you have any questions, something that you haven't understood, just let me know. I'll be glad to answer them.**

**I still don't know if there's a secret meaning behind the animal-names, so if you have any ideas, feel free to tell me.**

**Thanks to my new reviewers! Welcome to my story!**

**Maikoluvr, thank you for your support!**

**And one big, big thanks to my certain reviewers—you know who you are!**

**You can make Maiko requests!**

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**Review, please :D**

**~Dora. **


	9. Chapter 9

That morning, the streets were full of people who were trying to finish their chores early so that they could relax and have a cup of tea later. At the market, the merchants shouted the day's offers, making people stop at their stalls or stores and buy whatever they needed. Blending with the huge crowd, hiding their faces with hoods, were three noble figures: the Firelord, the Firelady and former Governor Chonsin.

The royal couple followed the older man through the people, being careful not to pump into the children that played around. Mai took a look at her surroundings and noticed that the market was full of servants and definitely not a place her parents would ever visit. Since her early childhood, she never recalled her mother or father going to the market to buy anything, since that was what servants were for, unless it came to clothes and weapons.

"Does that… _Finn…_sell weapons, Father?" Mai guessed, being as disgusted at saying the merchant's name as calling the ex-governor her father.

"He does." Chonsin confirmed. "And of great quality, if I might add. He is quite well-known amongst the warriors."

The knife-thrower's interest peeked at those words, since blades were one of the things she loved the most.

Zuko tightened his grip around Mai's fingers, drawing her attention. "Maybe we've been there." He said, trying to remember the weapon shops he's been to. The effort went in vain, though, as both he and Mai had explored countless of such stores.

"Maybe." Mai shrugged. "Do you really think that guy has anything to do with _you-know-who_?" She inquired, careful not to say anything about the huàn, since anyone in the market could be a part of them.

"I hope so." Zuko whispered back. "If he does, we have something to rely on, something to get us started." Mai nodded and focused on following Chonsin, afraid that they'd lose him in the sea of red.

After what seemed like hours walking under the smoldering sun, Chonsin came to a halt in front of a store. Both Zuko and Mai examined it closely in an attempt to remember whether they had been there before.

The building wasn't big, but it wasn't small either. An abstractly decorated sign, with the name Finn curved on it, hang just below the red, pointed roof. A small, wooden shed provided shade to the customers that browsed the merchandise. There were several stalls under the shed, where various blades, knives, swords, bows and every kind of weapons rested.

"As far as I know, Finn used to live in one of the colonies, but with the war over, he moved here." Chonsin informed the couple.

Both Mai and Zuko nodded, realizing that his moving could mean much more. "That's why we've never been here before." Mai muttered. Turning back to her father, she decided that he was no longer needed. "Thanks, dad. We'll take on from here."

The former governor looked at his daughter in worry, before giving a meaningful glance to Zuko. _'Don't let anything happen to her,'_ his look said. Zuko realized that this was probably one of the few times Mai's father had shown any kind of love for his daughter, which was a pleasant surprise. The fact that her father didn't thought of her as a fully-grown and capable woman bothered him but, regarding the governor's help, he shoved it away.

Nodding, he took Mai's hand and led her inside Finn's shop.

* * *

Sokka was having a great time sleeping on a puffy, comfortable bed in one of Iroh's guest rooms. His dreams mainly consisted of food and Suki, which was the perfect combination for the young warrior. Drool dripped down one side of his open mouth and not even a pack of komodo-rhinos bursting into the house could wake him up.

Toph, however, was no pack of komodo rhinos. Cracking her knuckles, she smiled mischievously, before kicking the door of Sokka's room open. She needed no confirmation that her friend was sleeping as she could feel the vibrations of his snores from miles away. Tilting her head in an attempt to find her target, she tapped one foot onto the ground, making the stone-made floor tremble before creating a bump under Sokka's bed, making it rise from the ground. "Wake up, you lazy head! We got things to do!" She boomed.

The combination of her voice and the jolt of the bed made Sokka sit up, screaming. "Ahhh! Who's there?"

"Greatest earthbender of all time, thank you for asking." Toph said in a nonchalant tone, as if she was stating the obvious. "C'mon, snoozles. We have butts to kick."

"Sleep now." Sokka muttered, falling back to the comfortable pillows once again. "Butts later."

Another bump of Toph's foot made him think otherwise. Soon enough, both of them were in the city of Ba Sing Se, trying to find out anything they could about the huàn.

"How are we supposed to find them in such a big city?" Sokka exclaimed, waving his hands around in a frustrated manner.

"We'll figure something out." Toph shrugged.

"I didn't have any breakfast." Sokka reminded her in an overdramatic tone. "I can't figure _anything_ out!"

Toph slapped a hand on her forehead and ran it down her face at Sokka's being a drama queen. Grabbing the sleeve of his shirt, she tugged him through the crowd. "Come on—we're not going to find anything here. We have to find the most isolated area."

"But—" Sokka protested, pouting. "There's no food in isolated areas!"

"My thought exactly!"

Sokka groaned in disappointment as Toph dragged him away from the crowd and the food. Pouting, he watched as Toph led him far away from the main city. "Um, Toph, where are we going?" He asked, shoving his anger aside.

"Somewhere with less people—I think I'm feeling something."

"It's probably my stomach growling." A harder yank on his sleeve made him stop talking, as Toph tried to find the source of the vibrations.

"It feels like some kind of an underground tunnel." She mused, her feet staying glued to the ground so that she could 'see' more. "A big one."

"Where?" Sokka asked in a tone that reminded Toph of Hakoda, his hunger forgotten.

The young earthbender shot a hand up, pointing southeast. "Over there."

This time, it was Sokka who yanked her through the crowd, following her previous information. "Let's go."

* * *

As Zuko and Mai stepped into the room, taking a look at their surroundings, they noticed that it was empty, probably being too early for anyone to buy weapons. A few feet away, behind a wooden counter, stood a somewhat chubby man. Being short in height, he didn't seem threatening.

However, the Firelord and the new Firelady knew better than to judge people from their appearance. No matter how innocent-looking Finn was, he could still be deadly.

"Welcome, welcome!" A happy voice said, being unaware of the fact that the two hooded figures standing before him were the rulers of the Fire Nation. "I see that you have a nice pair of dao swords, sir." Finn noted, gesturing to the pair of blades that were securely strapped on Zuko's back. "Are you looking for a replacement?"

"No." Zuko snapped. With a swift move of his hand, he slid the door behind him shut so that no one would bother. "I'm looking for answers. And you're going to give them to me." His voice was soft and his tone didn't indicate aggressiveness, but this made his words all the more threatening.

Finn's eyes widened with what seemed to be a combination of fear and anger. "Who sent you?" He managed to ask, ignoring the lump in his throat. "I didn't do anything—I swear!" The man took small steps towards the back exit, mentally wishing that none of them would notice.

Mai's sharp eyes noticed, however, and with an experienced move, two flying stilettos pinned the man onto a nearby wall. He squirmed under the grip of the knives but was unable to get away.

Giving her a proud smile under his hood, Zuko walked towards the man. Drawing his dao swords out of their sheaths, he crossed them around the man's neck, indicating that any kind of complaint and disagreement wasn't accepted.

Finn gulped loudly. "Wh-what do you want from me?" He stuttered, failing miserably to use the defensive tone he had intended to.

Zuko didn't answer. Still keeping one sword just an inch away from the man's throat, he handed his other one to Mai, before pulling on the chain around the merchant's neck. "Just like we had expected." He muttered, examining the grayish stone closely, trying to determine its shape. "I think that's a wolf bat." He finally said.

The man gulped again, as Mai took the stone from Zuko, examining it, before handing him his sword back. "Shall I?" She asked Zuko with a bittersweet smile, enjoying this more than she would ever admit.

Zuko grinned back. "Of course."

Not wasting any more time, Mai pulled out another knife out of her wrist holster, using it to rip the man's sleeve apart. Finn let out a yelp, probably expecting the knife to make contact with his flesh, before letting out a relieved sigh.

Mai's eyes fell on the black mark of a circle that was drawn on the man's right arm. "The huàn." She whispered.

Zuko looked at the circle with hatred, the fire boiling in his veins, seeking to come out. "I knew it!" He muttered under his breath, before turning his intense gaze back to the trembling man that was trapped between his blades. "Tell me everything!" He ordered.

Finn shook his head as much as his awkward position would allow. "I-I can't." He whispered. "If I do, they'll kill me."

"And if you don't," Mai whispered back. "_We_ will kill you." She drew a shuriken star out of her cloak to prove her point.

The man nodded, the small but yet scaring threat making his knees buckle. "Wh-what do you want to know?"

"Where's your hideout?" Zuko asked in a slow but steady tone, indicating that any lie would bring terrible consequences.

The man's eyes darted around, feeling divided between what looked like death and death. Zuko felt a twinge of sympathy for the merchant, despite the fact that he shouldn't. "Tell me and I can guarantee your safety." He said, intending to keep his promise.

Mai looked taken aback, but she knew that he husband was sometimes too good with people—even with those that wanted to hurt him.

"It's in Ba Sing Se." Finn finally said, after some seconds of hesitation.

"Where _exactly_?" Mai asked, appearing to be more bored than she felt.

"Southeast. In an abandoned area called Su Heng." The man blurted out, mentally hoping that his captors wouldn't go back to their word. "There's a man—his name is Yan. His house is the gate to their hideout. Their leader is Panther—he lost all of his family in the war." His voice was panicked but both Mai and Zuko, even without Toph's help, could tell that the man was being honest.

The couple absorbed the information and nodded. "His real name?"

"I—I don't know. Nobody does, I swear!" The words left Finn's mouth quickly. "I only joined because my father was killed in the war when I was young."

"So…" Mai pondered. "Every member of the huàn has lost someone in the war?"

The man nodded frantically but stopped when his throat came into contact with the cold steel of Zuko's swords. "Everyone—they seek revenge for their lost ones."

Zuko remembered the broken look of Raven when he told them about his wife and children. He couldn't help but feel some understanding for them, knowing that he'd probably do the same if he lost Mai. Still, this was no excuse. The war was over and Zuko had done the best he could to redeem the name of the Fire Nation and make everyone happy. Neither Mai nor he should pay for his father's and grandfather's mistakes. "What do you know about Raven?"

"N-Not much." Finn stuttered. "He lost his wife and two of his children. Now he and his only son have joined the organization. He's Panther's right hand."

Neither Mai nor Zuko had actually time to feel anything about their new discoveries. They just wanted to learn as much as possible.

"Their plan?" Mai inquired, finding her polished nails more interesting than the man's sweating face.

"They want to make the Firelord feel the same pain they did. That's all I know."

This time it was Zuko who trembled with the thought of losing the one he loved the most. "By killing M—the Firelady?"

"As far as I know." Finn whispered; his voice cracking. "Raven and Panther are making lots of secret plans—I don't know anything else."

Zuko nodded and decided to keep his promise as a reward to the man's honesty. After all, keeping Finn safe in the palace would provide him with any information he needed. "You're coming with us."

* * *

"Are you sure it's here?" Sokka asked, looking around the depressing place with curious eyes. It didn't look like something interesting and it definitely wouldn't be the place he would choose for his hideout. "It doesn't look like it."

"I told you!" Toph shouted, pointing towards a half-destroyed house. "It's just under that house!"

"Okay, okay!" Sokka muttered, raising his hands in defense. "If that's where psychos like to hide, who am I to argue?"

"Great. Now that we have your full agreement, let's go investigate." Toph said, her tone bearing a big dose of sarcasm.

"Sure." Sokka shrugged. Grabbing her hand, he led her closer to the almost ruined building.

"There's someone in there." Toph whispered, surprised.

"Really?" Sokka asked, his eyes widening. "Who would live in such an awful place?"

"The guy that's in there." Toph shrugged. "C'mon—let's get this over with."

Sokka nodded. Taking a few steps closer to the threshold, he knocked on the rusted door. After some seconds and a soft rustling, an old man cracked the door open just an inch. "What do you want?" He asked, rather harshly, not recognizing the pair.

Sokka cleared his throat, offended by the man's tone. "Good morning, sir." The look on the old man's face indicated that he should get to the point. "Are you aware of the fact that there's an entire tunnel, just below your…uhh…house?" He asked, hesitating at the last word, since he couldn't see how someone would live in that hovel.

The old man eyed the pair with what would be described as a mad look, reminding them of King Bumi. "Nonsense!" He finally screeched. "There's no such thing under my house!"

"But, sir—" Sokka started, only to be interrupted by Toph.

"Listen there, grumpy. I'm an earthbender and probably the best one in the entire world." She said, getting frustrated about wasting precious time. "When I say there's a tunnel under your house, then there's one. I'm never mistaken—end of story."

The old man looked taken aback by the girl's aggressiveness, but quickly composed himself. "I've been living here for years, young lady." He finally said. "I know my house better than you do, don't you think?"

"Sir, you may not realize it now, but if you don't let us get in, you'll put the world into grave danger!" Sokka warned, adding an overdramatic tone in his voice.

The man just shut the door, leaving the two teenagers disappointed.

"Alright; that's it!" Toph boomed. "I'll earthbend a tunnel that'll lead us to the other tunnel."

"No, Toph." Sokka said, putting a hand on the earthbender's shoulder to stop her. "We don't know what's in that tunnel, we shouldn't risk it."

"But that guy isn't going to give us the information we need!" She complained.

"We'll figure something out." Sokka shrugged. "C'mon, let's go eat something—I'm starving."

As the man behind the door heard the two teenagers leaving, he let out a relieved sigh. The dilemma that had been in his head for months started getting bigger—maybe he should just do the right thing and forget his fear.

That night, when the hooded figures stepped into his house, asking him if there had been any unwanted visitors—one of their routine questions—he lied.

* * *

"That's crazy!" Aang complained, as he sat down on a rock angrily. "We've already been to the northern and southern air temples and there's no sign of the huàn!"

"Calm down, Aang." Katara said softly, putting a calming hand on his shoulder. "Maybe they have no connection with the air temples." She tried to reason.

Aang covered her hand with his, sighing in frustration. "You're right. It's just that… Well, we have found nothing about them—something that would help us to stop them."

"Maybe the others found out something." She said in an attempt to comfort both her and the young Avatar.

Aang sighed again, as if his worries would leave with that gush of air. "Maybe."

* * *

Zuko was restless that night, the information they got being too much for him to bear. He tossed around the red bed, turning the crimson sheets into a mess. Sighs left his lips over and over, making the fire of the candles tremble.

"Zuko." Mai said, propping herself onto one elbow, unable to sleep because of her husband's tossing. "What's wrong?" She asked, concern clear in her eyes.

Zuko clasped her hand in his, mentally thanking her for being there whenever he needed someone to talk to. "Do you think I did the right thing by bringing Finn here?"

Mai smiled. "You kept your promise—it was the right thing to do." She reassured him, placing a hand on his scarred cheek.

"I don't know." Zuko whispered. "They tried to _take you away._" He said brokenly, unable to say the word 'kill'. "Those men don't deserve sympathy."

"The guy was honest." Mai shrugged. "He helped us. I have a feeling that he had nothing to do with the assassination attempt."

"I know." Zuko nodded, burying his head on the crook of her neck. "But still…"

Mai sighed and moved his head so that she could look him in the eye. "You're an honorable man, Zuko." She whispered fervently. "You kept your promise—it was the right thing to do." Placing a soft kiss on his lips, she pushed him back onto the pillows. "Stop worrying and sleep."

Zuko smiled, his wife's reassuring words making feel calmer. Wrapping an arm around her waist, he brought her closer to his chest. "What would I do without you?" He asked, half-jokingly and half-sincerely.

"Probably starve, exhaust or worry yourself to death." She said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Probably." He chuckled, kissing the top of Mai's head tenderly. "Goodnight, Mai."

"Goodnight."

Zuko had no difficulty sleeping after that.

**So, here it is. It took me a while to write that—I hope you like it!**

**I support both Suki&Sokka and Toph&Sokka, but in this story, Sokka is with Suki :) I did enjoy writing the scenes with them, however. Hope I was in character.**

**About Mai's father-I think that he cares about her a little bit more than her mother. I don't know why but I just wanted to make that clear in the story :)**

**I'm not familiar with Kataang but I did put a small dose of them in this chapter.**

**Hope you're satisfied with the small amount of Maiko fluff.**

**Do you think the story is moving too fast? I just want to get to the point, without creating a long and tiring story. Does it seem rushed to you? If it does, please tell me and I'll try to make it better.**

**Ask away whatever you haven't understood.**

**Let me remind you that I'm also on **_**DeviantART.**_** You can find me as Doritos1996.**

**Oh—you can also make Maiko requests, I love requests!**

**And please review—it means a lot to me :3**

**Stay flaming!**

**And please, please review :)**

**~Dora.**


	10. Chapter 10

Thoughts could be really disturbing, as Toph and Sokka found out. They were both sitting on a table in Iroh's lavish teashop. However, none of them spoke. Drinking their delicious tea, they kept pondering over 'what-ifs' and suspicions. They both felt equal disappointment that they hadn't managed to learn much apart from the fact that a tunnel existed under the bustling city of Ba Sing Se and the thought that it was somehow connected with the huàn couldn't leave their minds.

"Okay, I had enough of this!" Toph exclaimed after hours of thinking, exasperated. Shoving her cup of tea aside, making the green liquid swirl, she stood up in a very unladylike manner. "I'm going to find what's in that tunnel now!"

Sokka looked up in surprise, getting ready to prevent his younger friend from making any rash decisions. Iroh's soothing voice interrupted the warrior's speech, however. "Now, now." The old tea maker said, walking out of the kitchen with a wooden tray in his hands. "I believe that careless actions will lead you nowhere." He advised, putting the tray on the table. Placing a gentle but strong hand of Toph's shoulder, he pushed her down on the chair. "Patience is a virtue, Toph."

"Hmph." Toph grunted. Despite the arrogance of her character, she didn't spoke up against the former general, since she respected him and his opinion. "I just don't like doing nothing, that's all."

"You're right." Sokka agreed, finally snapping out of his trance of thought. "We _have_ to do something."

"I think that your friend has come up with a plan, Toph." Iroh said in an attempt to calm the young earthbender down.

"Not exactly." Sokka murmured. "But I think that the only way to find something is by making the old man talk. We need to go there again."

Smiling mischievously, Toph bumped her fists together. "I'm in."

"I know that you don't need this advice, but I have to remind you that violence will lead you nowhere." Iroh argued, looking at the two teenagers with concern.

"Don't worry, Iroh." Sokka uttered, patting the tea maker's back softly. "We don't intend to use violence."

"Good." Iroh nodded, giving them one of his usual kind smiles. "Now go—and be careful."

Putting one biscuit—that previously rested on the tray—in his mouth, Sokka grabbed Toph's hand and ran out of the tea shop, leaving a worried Iroh behind.

The tea maker spent some more minutes looking at the door from which the two teenagers had just left. Having lost his own son in battle, the former general felt concern and apprehension for the two teenagers' fate. _They have all got themselves involved into a hazardous game._ Iroh thought, shaking his head. _Agni, help them._

Looking around his almost-full tea shop, he returned to his cheery customers, doing the thing he liked the most.

****oOo****

"Is he still in there?" Sokka asked Toph, as the two of them stood before the old man's house, under which rested the intriguing tunnel.

"Yes." Toph nodded. "And he's alone."

"Let's just hope that he's not a member of the huàn, otherwise we're doomed."

Chuckling, Toph tugged him towards the rusted, half-broken door. She wondered if bumping her fist on the wood would make the door fall down, but she did it anyway.

Upon hearing the knock, the old man rose from the wooden chair he was sitting on. "They're early." He muttered to himself, expecting members of the huàn, as he proceeding on sliding the door open.

When he saw the two teenagers, his grey eyes widened. He had previously thought that those two would visit him again, but he didn't expect it to be so soon. Fighting over his inner dilemma through the last hours had led him to an important decision, which was fully capable of leading him to his own death. He had come to believe that he didn't care whether they'd kill him—he would do his duty to the world, no matter what.

"It's us." Sokka said, biting his tongue when he realized that this was probably a stupid thing to say. "Which is quite obvious, I think."

Toph shook her head at her friend's remark. "Look, we're searching for answers and you're probably the only one able to give them to us. So, if you don't want me to bring this place down, you'll have to let us in." This was probably one of the nicest things Toph had ever said, and she was quite proud of it.

The man thought about telling her that he didn't care about the place, but decided against it. With a sigh, he nodded and stepped aside to let Sokka and Toph pass.

Had the two teenagers stepped in under other circumstances, they wouldn't have believed that someone was actually living there. The house looked isolated, abandoned. Nothing but a weak fire burning into a stone-made fireplace in a corner of the room indicated that life existed in that place. Grayish carpets, curtains and needlecrafts rested on the floors and walls, hiding cracks, moss and other signs of decay.

"It's seen better days." The old man muttered when he noticed Sokka looking around the room in surprise. "This area used to be so peaceful." It looked like the man talk more to himself rather than Sokka and Toph.

"What happened?" Sokka asked, drawing his gaze away from the dusty furniture.

The old man closed his eyes, as if the memory was too much to bear. "When the Firelord's sister conquered Ba Sing Se, her forces destroyed everything: houses, stores…" He trailed off, unsure of how to continue. "People fled."

"Damn you, Azula." Sokka cursed under his breath, knowing that the damage she had caused could not be repaired.

"This area used to be full of life." The man continued."But now, it's nothing but a miserable place."

"Who are you?" Despite the fact that Toph couldn't see, she could tell from the tone of his voice that the man's grief couldn't be put into words. "And why did you stay? Why didn't you leave?"

"My name's Yan. Living here is the only life I know." The old man explained. "The others had something to hope for—they had family. I had nothing to lose." The man shrugged, as if the fact that he was alone didn't bother him. But it did bother him, more than he would ever admit. Yan had the misfortune to lose his wife a couple of years after their marriage. She became sick, while being pregnant with their child and died. After that, Yan had nothing to care for.

Both Toph and Sokka asked nothing else about the man's life, since that wasn't why they were there in the first place. "About that tunnel…" Sokka started only to be interrupted by Yan.

"Shh!" Running to the door, the old man cracked open just an inch, looking around suspiciously. "This is no safe place to talk." Closing the door, he walked back to the two teenagers. "Meet me at the market tonight."

Sokka nodded in agreement.

"Just tell us one thing." Toph murmured. "Do _the huàn_ use it?"

The man looked around worriedly, afraid that anyone could hear them. "Yes."

Both Sokka and Toph smiled. The fact that they had finally managed to gather some information made both of them ecstatic—and concerned. "Can you get us in?" Sokka asked, his voice dripping with hope.

"Yes." Yan nodded. "But you need to go—they'll be here any moment now."

"_Why_ are you helping us?" Sokka asked in suspicion.

"They threaten my life every day. I live in fear—do you need more explanation?"

Sokka stroked his chin in thought. "This better not be a trap."

"It's not." Toph reassured him. "He's telling the truth."

Trusting his friend's word, Sokka said nothing else. "Let's go."

As Toph ran towards the door, Sokka looked at Yan. "Tonight." He whispered. "Be there!"

"I will." Yan promised.

With that, Toph and Sokka left, eagerly waiting for the night.

* * *

Zuko and Mai were grateful that they could at least relax during the night, even when the days were being so hectic. The soft feeling of the cerise bed and the contact with each other were two of the things they'd never get tired of. The contentment, however, didn't last long as a soft knock on the door woke Zuko up.

The young Firelord slipped out of Mai's embrace, careful not to wake her. Putting on a tunic over his bare chest and running his fingers through his messy hair, he dragged his feet to the door.

Cracking it open just some inches, he looked at the servant that stood before him. "Yes?"

"My Lord." The girl bowed. "I'm sorry to disturb you, but Avatar Aang just arrived."

Zuko shook his head in an attempt to shove away the drowsiness. "Aang?" He asked, surprised that the young Avatar had visited without sending a letter first.

"Yes, my Lord. He and his lady are waiting for you." The girl informed.

Zuko, finally comprehending the servant's words, nodded. "Make sure they get rooms and whatever they might need. Tell them we'll join them in a while."

The girl bowed again. "As you wish, my Lord."

"Thank you."

Closing the massive door, Zuko walked back to the bed. He looked at his wife for some more seconds, regretting having to wake her up. He could stand there forever but time wasn't something they had on their side. Brushing a hand on her cheek tenderly, he smiled. "Mai. Mai, wake up." He whispered, eliciting a complaining groan from the recently-crowned Firelady.

"It's early." She muttered dryly.

"I know." Zuko whispered. "But Aang is here."

Mai's hazel eyes opened at that and she sat up weakly yet eagerly, her raven hair flowing over her pale shoulders, taking her husband's breathe away. Neither she nor Zuko knew why the young Avatar was there, but they both knew that it must have been something important. "Fine." She rasped, before getting up.

The royal couple proceeded on getting ready for the day. Putting on their uncomfortable but elegant clothes of the Firelord and the Firelady, they walked out of the room, their fingers linked.

"What do you think has happened?" Mai asked as they walked down a corridor.

"I don't know." Zuko answered. "It probably has to do with the Air temples."

"Maybe they found something." Mai pointed out, her voice dripping with hope.

"Or maybe not." Zuko muttered, frowning.

The knife-thrower rolled her eyes. "Do you always have to be so pessimistic?" She asked, her tone indicating boredom.

Zuko shrugged. "It makes things interesting." He teased, trying to lighten up the mood, as he knew that when he was down he wasn't good company.

One side of Mai's lips twitched upwards as she half-smiled. "Right."

After asking one of the guards about the room Aang and Katara had been given, they strode towards it, eager to learn the news their friends brought. Finding the room, Zuko knocked on the door softly.

Some more seconds passed as Katara rushed to open the door. "Guys!" She said with a somewhat relieved sigh. "Come in."

"Katara—what happened?" Mai asked calmly, as she entered the room with Zuko following behind. They noticed Aang sitting on the bed, his shoulders slumped in defeat and his head bent. His look was thoughtful and disappointed and he didn't seem to notice the couple entering the room.

"We went to the air temples." She stated, looking at Aang from the corner of her eye with concern.

"And?" Zuko urged her on, waiting her answer impatiently.

However, it wasn't Katara who answered. "And nothing!" Aang said, frustrated. Getting up from his sitting position, he started pacing the room in an attempt to calm down. "No sign of the huàn!"

"Well…" Mai started, raising an eyebrow to her friend. "Isn't that… good?"

"No!" Aang answered. "It's not. How are we supposed to stop them if we know nothing about them?"

Katara looked at Mai and Zuko, before walking to Aang. Placing a slender hand on his shoulder, she tried to calm him down for what seemed like the hundredth time of the day. "Aang, I know you're upset. But right now, it'll lead us nowhere." Aang nodded, relaxing under Katara's touch and sat on the bed again. "Maybe you found something?" Her eyes looked hopefully at Zuko and Mai.

Aang raised his grey eyes to look at the couple as well. "Did you?"

Zuko nodded triumphantly. "We did."

Both Aang and Katara listened with great interest as Zuko and Mai told them the whole story. Realization took a while to dawn to them, since the information they had to absorb were shocking. When Zuko told them that he held Finn in the palace, guaranteeing him his safety, they seemed alert but soon enough they became aware of the benefits. Keeping Finn meant more information.

"Su Heng…" Aang pondered, scratching his arrowed head in thought. "I think I know the area—but it didn't use to be isolated, like Finn told you."

"Ba Sing Se went through a lot after…Azula." Katara reminded him, hesitating at saying the Firelord's sister's name.

"You're right." Aang agreed. "So, what do we do?"

"We have to go to Ba Sing Se to find Sokka and Toph." Zuko suggested. "And we'll need to find forces to help us."

"The Kyoshi Warriors?" Mai suggested, looking forward to see Ty Lee and Suki again.

Aang nodded. "North Pole can help us, too."

"And South Pole." Katara added, smiling at the thought of her dad. "I'm sure my dad would like to help."

Zuko nodded, memorizing the options. "We'll let all of them know. For now, we need to go to Ba Sing Se and find anything we can."

"We need to leave tomorrow." Aang said. "We can't waste anymore time."

Zuko nodded. Taking Mai's hand, he walked towards the door. "I'll tell the council."

As Zuko and Mai walked towards the throne room, prepared to have a really acute meeting with the stubborn council, they couldn't help but feel nervous about what their trip would bring. They weren't particularly fond of their last trip's results—although they did enjoy their time there—but they were aware of the fact that the trip to Ba Sing Se would bring new discoveries.

"Your uncle will be ecstatic." Mai said in an attempt to lighten up Zuko's sorrowful mood, squeezing his hand.

Zuko smiled, like he always did when he thought about his uncle. "Yeah. He won't like the circumstances under which we're visiting though."

Mai sighed. "I know. But he'll still be happy."

Zuko didn't answer. His brow was furrowed in concentration and he seemed to be struggling to find the right words to say something. Mai knew him well enough to understand that he was probably overreacting. Again. "What's wrong, Zuko?" She asked softly. "I mean, besides the fact that a bunch of people are plotting against us." She tried to joke.

"Mai…" He trailed off. Stopping walking, he turned around to face her, placing two strong hands on each side of her face. "I know that I can't stop you from coming with me tomorrow—" And if he wanted to be honest with himself, he needed her with him. This had to do with Mai as much as it had to do with Zuko. "—but, _please_, I want you to be careful."

It took Mai everything she had not to roll her eyes. "I will, Zuko. It's not like I can't protect myself." To prove her point, her fingers pulled her sleeve down, revealing a bunch of shiny and extremely sharp knives.

Zuko smiled faintly. "I know."

Mai smiled back before placing a soft kiss on his lips, making the guards—that were too used to the couple's show of affection—roll their eyes.

Sighing in Mai's mouth, Zuko relaxed. Mai always had her ways to make him calm down, it seemed. "Come on. Let's go before they kill each other." Zuko murmured as he and Mai started walking once again.

* * *

Back in Su Heng, Ba Sing Se, two cloaked figures walked towards the centre of the city. The market was closed, since the layer of the night had fallen long ago. Hardly anyone walked by, except for a couple of drunken men that stumbled over and disappeared into the darkness.

Toph and Sokka waited under the starry sky, the eerie silence making them shudder.

"If he doesn't show up, I'm gonna bring what's left of his house down!" Toph hissed to Sokka, who looked around hoping that Yan would come.

"Maybe we shouldn't have trusted him—he _is_ helping the huàn, after all." Sokka said, his brow furrowing in thought.

"He was telling the truth, Sokka." Toph reminded him.

"I no longer know what to believe, Toph." Sokka sighed, suddenly feeling exhausted. "Everything's so messed up!"

A loud smack on his shoulder made him look next to him. "Ouch! What was that for?"

"Stop acting like Zuko!" Toph demanded. "They're coming."

Sokka heard the footsteps some seconds later. "_They're_?" He asked when Toph's words sunk in.

"He's not alone."

* * *

"I, Firelord Zuko, call this meeting to inform all of you about the course of the recent events." Zuko said, sitting among his advisors rather than the uplifted throne which reminded him too much of his father. "Information that the huàn's hideout is in Ba Sing Se has been given. The Firelady and I will be leaving tomorrow morning, heading for the city." Most of his words came out quickly, as he decided that getting to the point would save him some minutes.

His short speech, however, brought about many objections and soon enough the whole room echoed with loud voices and hushed whispers, making Zuko put his fingers on the bridge of his nose.

"So much for a civilized conversation." Mai muttered from next to him.

Zuko groaned. "Tell me about it." He mentally wondered whether he should have probably used the throne, since it'd allow him to control the fire and silence the group.

Mai sighed, trying to stop herself from sending knives to every single politician. "Just do something."

Zuko nodded. Rising from his sitting position, he slammed a hand down the table. "Silence!" He shouted. This scene had become routine by now.

The room became quiet in an instant, as no one wanted to make the Firelord angry. "While I'm gone, which I hope won't be for long, one of you is going to make the decisions I'd make." He informed. "Zhen—you'll take care of my duties."

Zhen was a nice man, probably a decade older than Zuko. He was the only advisor Zuko could trust as he seemed to care for the Fire Nation.

"I'd be honored to, my Lord."

"My Lord," Another man said. "May I have permission to speak openly?"

Zuko nodded tiredly, already knowing what the man would say.

"I do not intend to question your judgment, but are you certain that trusting the rulership of your country to anyone but yourself is wise?"

Zuko rolled his eyes. "Trusting anyone else to handle the situation of Ba Sing Se isn't wise either." He pointed out harshly, making the man nod. "I trust Zhen. My decision is final."

* * *

Looking behind his shoulder, Sokka saw four men approaching—one in the front with the rest following behind.

"Well, well." The man cooed. "What do we have here?" He eyed the two teenagers and snickered.

"Who are you?" Sokka asked, despite the fear that boiled in his veins.

"Who were you expecting?" The man asked back, stopping a couple of steps away from the young warrior and the earthbender.

"That's none of your business!" Toph snapped.

"Isn't it?" The man asked, grinning mischievously. "I believe that Yan had something to tell you, didn't he?"

_I knew it was a trap! _Sokka gasped. "Where is he?"

"Bear—why don't you bring Yan here? I think he wants to have a…conversation."

Toph turned her head towards some nearby shadows and so did Sokka. "Yes, Raven." Another man stepped out, one of his hands grasping the torn shirt of an old man. With a sharp move, he shoved him to the ground. The man coughed.

"Yan!" Sokka gasped.

Yan raised his head weakly, fresh wounds and bruises on his face. "I'm sorry." He whispered.

Sokka's eyes widened. _They hit him! Those monsters!_

"Looks like we were right to doubt you." Raven spat to Yan. Turning to the rest of the men, he motioned towards Toph and Sokka with his head. "Tie them up. We'll get them to Panther."

**Long author's note coming up (I warned you.):**

**Phew. I finally got it done. I'm sorry that it took me so long to update but I had to get some things done first. I have thought of so many things for this story! Ideas just keep coming.**

**In case anyone didn't understand, the tunnel under Yan's house is the one Bear used in one of the other chapters. I'm sorry if I didn't make that clear.**

**I have a feeling that this story is kinda predictable, since one of my reviewers found out everything that would happen xD I really hope that this isn't rushed! I don't want it to be rushed; I have so many things to do with this story.**

**I felt that I should everyone know the story of poor Yan—he helped the huàn because he had nothing to lose. But he can't stand this anymore, so he's helping Sokka and Toph. Yan didn't set up a trap, they made him tell them everything.**

**I tried to fit in as much Maiko fluff as possible. Trust me for finding the strangest circumstances to add romantic moments!**

**Anyways, ask away whatever you didn't understand. Suggest things.**

**I have a new Maiko request! Woohoo! I'll work on it!**

**Let me remind you that I'm on deviantART as doritos1996. Check out the poll on my profile, as well.**

**Sorry for any mistakes I have-I'm not a native speaker.**

**Thank you all for the feedback, it really means a lot.**

**Please, please review—I love reviews!**

**Flameo!**

**~Dora.**


	11. Chapter 11

Sokka and Toph were really getting tired of the uncomfortable position they were forced into. After their unexpected meeting with some of the huàn and the inevitable fight, they had ended up chained back-to-back. As a matter of fact, they had both tried to fight and very fervently so, but soon enough the number of their enemies started increasing dramatically. Despite Sokka's prowess at fighting and Toph's ability at earth-bending, they were soon defeated and dragged through the underground tunnel.

"Let us go, you lazy heads! You don't wanna see me angry!" Toph threatened, pulling on her chains. She could easily have metal-bended both of them out of their bonds, but, in fact, she couldn't really move any part of her body without crushing one of Sokka's limbs.

"If you keep shouting like that, you won't live long enough to get angry." The man whose voice she recognized as Raven murmured, his bittersweet tone making his words all the more frightening. Toph, however, was never frightened.

"Untie me so that I can show you how much I care about your threat!" She shouted back. A harder yank on her chains made her cry out in pain. "Ouch!"

Sokka, who had surprisingly been quiet throughout the small encounter, decided that it was time to stop his friend from making things worse. "Uh, Toph… I think you're not helping." He hissed under his breath, mentally hoping that his capturers wouldn't pay attention.

"Well, snoozles…" Toph whispered back. "I don't see _you_ doing any better."

Sokka would have shot back a very smart answer, had it not been for his face coming in contact with the hard floor. The man that dragged them around as if they were puppies had obviously let go of the chains, causing them to lose their balance and fall down. "Ugh."

Looking through the layer of dirt that had covered his eyes, Sokka noticed that their capturers had stopped walking in front of what looked like a massive door made out of metal. He noticed that it bore small dents, like the ones he had earlier saw in Yan's house. Like before, one of the men pushed a small totem on the door, making it open with a loud creak. Sokka absorbed all of the information, being fully aware of the fact that they would come in handy later, while Toph did her best to memorize the vibration the tunnel gave out, so that both she and Sokka would be able to find their way through the labyrinth later on.

The door finally opened, revealing a big, dark room. Sokka didn't have time to see much, as their captors shoved them onto the ground of the dark place. "Panther will be delighted to see you." Raven sneered, making the rest of his group snicker.

* * *

The sun had barely risen, when the gang decided that it was about time they started their trip. Lack of sleep had all of them slouching around in an attempt to get ready, but soon enough they were all standing in the courtyard around Appa.

"Is everyone ready?" Katara asked, going through the small amount of things she had packed, just in case she had forgotten anything.

Mai, dragging a very tired Zuko behind, checked the amount of daggers strapped on her body and nodded. "Yeah, I think so."

"Aang?"

"All ready, sweetie." The young boy grinned at his girlfriend.

"Good." Katara approved. "Let's go."

The young monk came closer, Momo chattering incoherently on his shoulder, his small paws grasping at an orange as he nibbled on it. The young Avatar smiled as he approached his bison. Resting his palm on the huge animal's snout, he looked at him apologetically. "I'm sorry, Appa, but it looks like you'll have to carry us again."

Appa roared happily, making Aang laugh in delight and hug his bison's head. "Thanks, buddy."

The rest of the gang just shrugged, not really bothering to understand what Appa said, and made their way to the bison drowsily. Grasping Katara's hand in his, Aang used his air-bending and soon enough they were both sitting on Appa. After helping Mai get on the beast, Zuko followed suit.

"So, here's the plan: we go get Suki from Kyoshi Island and then we're off to Ba Sing Se." Aang said and the others nodded.

With another roar, Appa soared in the sky and the gang started their trip. Little did they know that things wouldn't be quite like they expected.

* * *

Despite the darkness of the place they had been thrown into, Sokka could see that they were in a stone-made room. The throne that rested a few feet away, above an amethyst carpet, was guarded by two armored men, even though no one was sitting on it. He noticed that, other than a stone-made, vast table left to the throne; the room was pretty much empty.

Struggling with his chain bonds, the young swordsman let out a groan. "Ugh! Can't you metal-bend us out of those chains or something?" He asked Toph, who was still strapped against his back.

"For the hundredth time—no! In case you haven't noticed, I can't move either!"

Sokka let out a frustrated sigh, as he once again tried to break his hands free from his bonds. "What are we gonna do?"

Struggling with her own bonds, Toph couldn't find the answer to that question. "Iroh will notice we're gone. He'll get help."

"I hope so." Sokka muttered. "I knew we shouldn't have trusted Yan, what were we thinking? We should have waited until the others came and—"

"Shh!" Toph interrupted, stopping his small speech. "Someone's coming." She had felt vibrations as much as her awkward position would allow her to.

The young warrior clamped his mouth shut, his eyes widening in fear and curiosity as the door opened. _Hmm, if we want to get out of here, we'll have to get our hands on one of those totems._ He mused. Struggling to see through the layer of darkness, Sokka heard the sound of metal hitting the floor. To his surprise, the man that walked in had had his left leg replaced with a metal one. _Strange_. Sokka mused before eyeing the two men that followed; Raven and Bear.

Raven, he knew from North Pole. He also knew from Chief Arnook's letter that he had escaped. Bear, however, he had never heard of.

As the man—whose face Sokka couldn't see—approached the throne, his followers stopping a few feet behind, the two guards fell on their knees. "Panther." They acknowledged.

"_Panther?_" Toph whispered to Sokka, recalling that Raven had mentioned the name. "Is he the leader?"

Sokka shrugged as much as his position would allow him to. "Could be."

"Bring the prisoners to me." The ice-cold yet velvety voice of Panther said. His tone wasn't loud, but it echoed in the eerie room. The guards, not wanting to disobey or anger their master, nodded and hurried towards the two teenagers that sat on the floor in the most awkward position they had been in their lives.

Sokka tried to scoot away from the guards to no avail. The men's gloved hands wrapped themselves around the chains, dragging the two teenagers towards the man who was now sitting on the stone-made throne. With a swift movement of their hands, the shoved the tied pair to the ground, just some inches away from Panther's feet.

"Ugh!" Sokka complained as he struggled with Toph's weight to sit straight. "Do you _have_ to do that?"

The guards didn't answer as they once again returned to their original position. Sokka frowned. Remembering the man sitting on the uplifted throne, the young warrior raised his head in an attempt to look at him. He noticed that Panther's face was buried in the shadows. As a matter of fact, he couldn't make out much apart from the iron-made leg and the black, leather clothes.

"Well, well." Panther cooed, his velvet voice making the hair in the back of Sokka's head rise. "What do we have here?" Cocking his head to one side, he inspected his prisoners. "I'm disappointed—when I was told about two rebels standing up against me, I expected so much more than two pathetic youngsters."

Refusing to give up just yet, Toph fought against her bonds once again. "Let us go this instant, you maniac!"

The man let out a throaty laugh. "I must admit, though, you _are_ quite amusing." Folding his hands under his chin, Panther looked straight at Sokka and Toph. Even though none of them could see his gaze, they could feel it piercing through them. "I am curious, though—did you really think that you could stand a chance against me and my men?"

"You don't know who you're talking to, do you?" Sokka said in an arrogant tone, which was surprising regarding his position.

"I know that I'm talking to two kids, trapped like mice." Panther spat, his smirk going unnoticed due to the darkness. "Tell me, how would you—two _children_—defeat us? Certainly, you knew that you couldn't take us down on your own." Panther paused, examining his enemies' face. "No, you're not _that_ ignorant." He added. "They're more, aren't there?"

Sokka didn't say anything, refusing to give the information the man wanted.

Panther's gaze turned more intense, if that was possible. "Fine." He spat when he realized that neither Sokka nor Toph would say anything. Turning his gaze to Raven and Bear, he ordered: "Take them to the cells. And learn as much as you can."

Raven and Bear nodded and proceeded to do their task.

* * *

"Excuse me. Excuse me. Sorry." It seemed like this was all the gang had been muttering for the last fifteen minutes as they pushed their way through the crowd. Upon arriving in Ba Sing Se, a few feet away from the Jasmine Dragon, the considerable size of Appa caught the attention of the people and soon enough everyone got closer to take a glimpse of the Avatar and his girl. Children ran up to them, requesting them to do this and that while young girls screamed when they saw the handsome Firelord and scowled when they saw his equally beautiful Firelady.

Aang would love to stay and entertain them, but time wasn't something they had. When they finally managed to get away from the fans—which they achieved with a bit of Suki's help—they ran towards Iroh's teashop.

They found the former general serving tea to his customers, laughing happily at the flattering compliments. Once his golden eyes fell on the small group that just entered, they watered up. He was always joyful to seeing his nephew and their unexpected visit made him smile in delight.

"Zuko!" The tea maker exclaimed, hugging the young Firelord. Zuko, bending a bit, wrapped his arms around his uncle.

"Hello, uncle." Zuko murmured.

Taking a step back, Iroh greeted the rest of the group with a big hug. "I didn't know you'd be coming."

"We didn't know either." Aang said. "We found out some information about you-know-who."

Iroh's eyebrows knitted in worry. "You came at the right time."

"Where are Sokka and Toph?" Suki asked, twisting her head around in an attempt to spot her boyfriend.

Iroh sighed. "Sit." He motioned to a table in a faraway corner, where they could talk without anyone eavesdropping.

The group listened to Iroh's story intently, their eyes widening whenever the information got too much. Iroh had been told only the most basic things that had happened but as he was now reciting the events, he was regretting not having a more detailed version.

"What?" Katara screeched when Iroh finished the story, telling them that the earthbender and the young warrior hadn't returned since last night's events. "What were they thinking? Why didn't they wait for us?"

Aang wrapped his hand around Katara fingers in a fruitless attempt to calm her down. His own apprehension started rising but he tried to shove it aside, being fully aware that it wouldn't help. "They tried to find information, Katara. They didn't know this would happen."

"Damn you Sokka." Suki muttered under her breath. Somehow, her boyfriend always seemed to get into trouble. She let out a sigh, her worry rising as each second passed. _Please, be okay._

"This man…" Zuko started, trying to collect his thoughts. "What did you say his name was?"

"I believe it was Yan." Iroh replied, stroking his beard in thought. "Toph and Sokka mentioned something about a tunnel under his house."

"It must be the one Finn told us about." Mai muttered. Years of practice at keeping her emotions secret helped her hide the rising concern for her friends' wellbeing.

"In Su Heng." Zuko agreed. Weighing his options, he finally decided that the only thing they could do right now was question Yan. "We have to go find him."

* * *

"Ugh, not again!" Sokka complained, as once again Raven shoved them onto the hard ground in one of the cells. He had started becoming very sore from the position he was forced into and neither Toph's weight on his back nor his face colliding with the earth helped.

Toph had started getting very nervous from not being able to 'see' since her legs were tied and she could hardly move them around. She had a rough idea of her surroundings. She could also feel Raven and Bear standing just outside of their cell but she couldn't tell whether or not there were other people in the dungeon.

She heard the slithering sound of a sword being pulled out of its sheath and her pale eyes widened in fear.

Bear had pulled out his blade. Twisting it around his hand, he examined the object with a wicked smile, his fingers caressing the deadly metal. Sokka tried hard not to gulp.

"Now," Raven said, starring at the pair behind the bars with sharp eyes. "Tell me your names."

"Your _real_ ones." Bear added, the grip on his sword never ceasing.

Thinking quickly, Sokka replied: "I'm Wang Fire."

Catching up with her friend's trick, Toph added: "And I'm Jin Hay."

Raven looked at them in disbelief. He didn't really care for the pair's names, since he knew that they would probably end up dead. However, he couldn't bear the thought of being lied to.

Bear, seeing the anger in Raven's face, placed a strong, preventing hand on his shoulder. "Raven, compose yourself. If they _are_ lying, they know the consequences." As to prove his point, his dagger gleamed in the darkness.

The two black-clad men kept asking more questions, making the interrogation go on for hours. Both Toph and Sokka answered with a bunch of lies. Sometimes, they gained looks of disbelief and doubt from the men, which made them wonder what would happen if the huàn actually found out about their inaccuracies. They tried to calm themselves down by thinking that they wouldn't stay there long enough for them to find out.

After some more questions, the pair finally walked away, leaving Toph and Sokka alone. The two teenagers stayed silent, inspecting the room around them. From what they could tell, there was no one else in there. At least not yet. Regarding the precision and the punctuality of the huàn, however, there would sure be guards in front of their cell in a while.

As to confirm that thought, the sounds of steps echoed in the dark place. Four figures marched in, laughing over something. Their eyes fell on the pair behind the bars and they snickered.

"It's been a while since we last had any prisoners" One of them pointed out, examining the two teenagers closely.

"I wonder what those two did." Another one said, in a squeaky voice. It made Toph chuckle.

"Raven said they wanted to stop us from 'doing harm to the world'." Another one informed, causing the others to burst out in a fit of laughter.

"Ah, I can't wait till the time people see our worth." An armored man muttered, after the laughter had died down.

"Don't worry, Griffin*. When the Final Battle comes, people will understand that we were just trying to save them."

Griffin agreed with the other man's words. However, he became quite alert, knowing that the prisoners were fully capable of hearing their little conversation. Placing a gloved hand on the man's mouth, he clamped his mouth shut. "Shh!" He hissed, motioning towards the two teenagers with his head. "You better pray Panther doesn't learn about that."

"Right, sorry." The man apologized, his voice muffled.

The men proceeded on taking their position in front of the cell, guarding their prisoners. Despite the fact that Toph and Sokka pretended they hadn't heard about the final battle, questions roamed wildly in their minds. Up until now, the huàn had made it pretty clear that their aim was Mai—the person Zuko loved the most. But it seemed that they had more plans in store.

As time passed, Sokka realized one thing: It was going to be a _crazy_ day.

* * *

It had finally been decided; Iroh would join the group at their research. The old tea maker had insisted on going with his nephew and his friends, claiming that he had already made a mistake when he didn't go with Sokka and Toph.

So, now the six of them were on Appa, flying over the city of Ba Sing Se in an attempt to find Su Heng.

"I must admit—I never knew that flying in a bison would be so entertaining." Iroh said, leaning to one side so he could see more of the city.

Zuko would have smiled at his uncle's enthusiasm had it not been for the huge scowl that kept his mouth muscles occupied.

Mai sighed. "Want to talk about it?" She scooted closer to him, and he wrapped a strong arm around her, welcoming her support.

"It's just… first they try to kill you and now they have Sokka and Toph." The Firelord closed his eyes and let out a sigh, hoping that his worries would go away with that puff of air. "And everything's my fault." He mentally cursed himself for mopping around again, even though he knew that Mai was always there to listen to his worries, no matter how silly they were.

Mai's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Don't be silly, Zuko. How's all of this your fault?" She tried to reason, linking his fingers with hers.

"I—I don't know." Zuko stammered, looking down at her in despair. "Maybe I didn't try enough to fix things."

Mai rolled her eyes. "Zuko." She murmured, placing a soft hand on his cheek. "You did _everything_ to fix things." She reassured him. "Some people are just too blind or hurt to see that."

The young Firelord sighed again. "You're right. You always are." He admitted, burying his face in his wife's raven hair. "I'm just being pessimistic."

Mai let out a throaty chuckle. "You always are." She echoed. Tilting her head upwards, she captured his warm lips with hers, being fully aware of the calming effect her kisses had to Zuko. Sighing in her mouth, Zuko pulled her closer, thankful for the contact. "Stop worrying." She panted once they pulled back.

"Do you think we'll find them?" He inquired, his voice dripping with hope.

Mai just shrugged. "We have to try."

"Found it!" Aang's enthusiastic cry stopped whatever Zuko was about to say. "Su Heng."

Looking down, Mai's eyes widened. Finn had told them that the place was abandoned and collapsed, but she didn't expect it to be _that_ bad. Judging from the gasps that came from the rest of the group, the others hadn't expected it either.

As soon as Appa landed on the cracked ground, the gang hopped off—Iroh having a little bit of difficulty at that—and proceeded to look at their surroundings.

"Is this it?" Mai asked flatly, scanning the place with disinterest. Zuko shrugged next to her.

"It does match the description Finn gave us." Katara pointed out. "But it doesn't look like anyone lives here."

Aang shook his head. Having been taught by Toph, he could tell by his earth-bending skills that someone was in the half-ruined house that rested some feet away. "There is a man over there." He said, pointing towards the demolished building.

Determined not to waste any more time, the group walked through the debris to the house. Not bothering to knock on the rusted door, Zuko kicked it open, making it fall on the ground. A gasp from inside let them know that there was, indeed, someone in the house.

Eyeing the man warily, the gang noticed the fresh bruises and wounds on his wrinkled face. He was old, like Finn had told them he would be but he didn't seem threatening.

"Wh—who are you?" The man stuttered, cowering away from the group. He had hardly managed to make it away from the huàn alive, as they decided that after all the pain he'd been through it would be much more enjoyable to watch him suffer. _'Next time you decide to betray us—'_ Bear had said. _'—think better. You now know the consequences.'_

"Are you Yan?" Zuko inquired, his tone indicating that lies would be unacceptable.

"Y-yes." Yan uttered.

Aang stepped in, deciding to speak in a friendlier tone. "We're looking for our friends." He smiled. "We've been told that they were here."

Yan nodded. "A young man and a blind girl?"

"That's them!" Katara exclaimed.

Yan shook his head weakly. "I tried to help them—but they hit me. I didn't mean to tell them about your friends, I swear."

"The huàn did this to you?" Zuko asked, motioning towards the man's scars, his eye widening.

"Please, if they know you're here, they'll kill me." The old man pleaded, his eyes darting towards the secret portal that rested behind the needlecraft.

Zuko lowered his head when he saw the man's fear. People were suffering already because of the huàn and they still hadn't found a way to handle the situation. Mai, sensing his concern, shifted closer to him and squeezed his hand.

Giving her a thankful smile, he turned back to Yan. "Why are you helping them, if you hate them?"

"They threaten my life every single day." Yan replied. "If I leave, they'll track me down and kill me. When I tried to help your friends, they learnt. They forced me into telling them the truth."

"If you are willing to help us now, we can guarantee your safety." Aang pointed out, his grey eyes looking at the man intently.

"I know you." Yan murmured. "You're the Avatar."

"Yes." Aang nodded. "We're trying to stop the huàn from doing any more harm—are you with us?"

Yan scanned the faces of the group before him. His life was almost over, what did he have to lose? Maybe he could do his part in this world. "Yes. Yes, I am."

***Vulture Griffin, it appeared in the episode **_**'Appa's lost days'. **_**Griffin for short.**

**Ugh, this chapter was a pain in the neck! No matter how many ideas I had, words just wouldn't flow. I'm sorry if it's disappointing or unrealistic. I hate writer's block!**

**First Momo's appearance! I hadn't realized that I had never mentioned him in the story. I love Momo!**

**So, you can ask whatever you haven't understood. Maybe this chapter looks pointless right now, but the events happening here will play an important role in the next chapters. I tried to fit in some Maiko, although it was pretty difficult. I'm disappointed at the lack of fluff in this chapter but I'll try to make it up for you in the following chapters.**

**One big thanks to NinjaKick, who's my new beta, because sometimes I do some silly mistakes. Thanks, Ninja!**

**Oh, I've been listening to the song 'Pages' by 3 Doors Down and I can't help but think it fits well with Mai and Zuko, especially after Zuko leaves Mai that letter. If I get inspired, I may write a fanfic about it. Who knows?**

**I have so many ideas for some Maiko stories, but I've been told that writing a lot of stories at once is pretty difficult. So, I'll just wait till Through the Fire is over.**

**Let me remind you that you can find me on DeviantART as Doritos1996. I also take requests, so if you're a Maiko fan and want to see something about those two, feel free to ask! Please, check out the poll on my profile as well!**

**I want to say a big thank you to everyone who has been reading and reviewing this story. It really means a lot me. I put a lot of effort in my stories and I'm really glad this is being appreciated.**

**So, review because I love hearing your opinions so much! Check out the rest of my Maiko stories as well!**

**Your Momoness,**

**~Dora.**


	12. Chapter 12

After the fruitful meeting with Yan, the group decided to return back to Iroh's teashop. They all seemed quite eager to leave the depressing area of Su Heng. Iroh wanted to return back as soon as possible since he didn't trust any of his assistants with his customers. Yan didn't seem so reluctant to leave his home either. To him, the place that had been the only home he'd ever known was nothing but a bad memory now. With his departure, the area of Su Heng was now officially deserted, except for the members of the huàn that would surely still use the place for their benefit.

Now, as the old man sat with the gang, he couldn't remember a place he had felt more at home in his life. He discovered that many of them had quite remarkable skills. The water-bender, Katara, had the ability to heal and she seemed willing to treat the bothersome wounds that covered every inch of his body.

"Here." The young water-bender murmured as she placed her hands on the man's face. The glowing water that swirled around them brought a surprising amount of relief to the man. "The bruises won't disappear, but the pain will recede." She promised, smiling warmly.

Yan smiled back. "Thank you, Katara." He whispered gratefully. Not being used to acts of kindness, he was taken by surprise. The girl kept smiling, her delicate hands hovering over the man's injuries for a little longer, before withdrawing.

"So…" Wanting to get to the matter at hand, Zuko began asking questions. "What do you know about the huàn?"

When Yan answered, his voice bore a regretful tone, indicating that the presence of the organization had made him suffer a lot. "They started less than a year ago." He informed. "One night a man came to my house. He started telling me about the tunnel. He threatened me, claiming that he would only leave me alone if I gave him my house." Yan's features darkened at the bitter memory. "I—I didn't really care. I had nothing to lose, so I agreed. A very foolish thing to do."

"But why _your_ house?" Mai inquired, being more interested than her tone indicated. "I'm sure there are plenty of places out there they could choose."

Yan didn't really know how the answer that question, either. "I've been trying to figure that out myself." He murmured, shrugging his shoulders. "I think it's because I never had any…_visitors_. No one ever bothered me." He explained. "And they also needed some kind of… _guard_—someone to check who went in and who went out.

"They knew my story, from what I could tell. They knew that I was too powerless and helpless and they used it to their benefit. I had no way to stand up against them, should I decide to. I was…convenient."

The group absorbed the information silently, occasionally nodding. They couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness for the old man's fate. Understandably, Yan just tried to be safe and live with no more disturbances. His choices led him nowhere near the life he had hoped for, however. Instead, he was suffering daily harassment.

"What else can you tell us?" Aang asked.

"I don't know much. After all, I wasn't a member of the huàn. I've heard them saying something about the Firelady—" His eyes darted towards Mai, looking at her apologetically. Being a part of this madness had him think that he was also to blame for the turn things had taken. "—and something about a Final Battle." He continued.

Upon hearing the last words, the group's eyes widened. Having been sure that the organization's purpose was to make the Fire Lord suffer, they couldn't help but feel surprised. What did the huàn have in store for them and the rest of the world?

"Final Battle?" Zuko echoed, his face scrunched up in thought. "What's that supposed to mean?" He exclaimed angrily. Mai squeezed his fingers softly in an attempt to calm him down.

"I don't know." Yan replied. "They never said anything else."

"I hate _Final_ Battles." Aang muttered to himself, recalling the time when he had to defeat Ozai. "What about our friends? You said they came to find you."

"They did." The old man confirmed. He proceeded to tell them the whole story. From the looks on the teenagers' faces, he could tell that they cared a great deal for Sokka and Toph. By the time he finished reciting the events, the group was dumbfounded.

"Sokka _always_ had a plan!" Katara murmured. "How did this happen?"

"They were trying to find out as much as they could." Suki explained. "They didn't expect this to happen."

"If they had just waited for us…" The young water-bender trailed off.

Mai sighed. "Look—there's no point in thinking about what-ifs. We need a plan."

"Mai's right." Zuko agreed. "The only thing we can do right now is rescue them."

Aang nodded; his gaze intense. "What else can you tell us about that tunnel, Yan?"

"It's more like a labyrinth." Yan replied. "Built by experienced earth- benders—I regret saying that I was one of them."

"Wait!" Zuko exclaimed before the man said anything else. "_You_ built the tunnel?"

Yan nodded remorsefully. "I didn't have much of a choice, really. I'm sorry."

"No, it's okay." Zuko said. Seeing the strange looks he received from the rest of the gang he went on explaining. "If you come with us, you can help us find our way around. You said it yourself; the tunnel is more like a labyrinth. Aang's earth-bending won't be enough to get us through."

The rest of the group seemed to ponder over the Firelord's small speech. Putting Yan into more danger seemed unfair, but he was as involved in the situation as they were. Weighting their options, they all finally agreed that this was the best thing to do. Yan also seemed willing to be as helpful as possible.

Formulating the best plan they could come up with, the group decided that they would have to wait until the night, when they would be able to arrive to their destination unnoticed. All of them had worries about Sokka and Toph, unsure whether their friends would still be alive by the end of the day, but they all decided against vocalizing them.

****oOo****

The sky lacked stars that night. Only the bright moon—nothing but a small sliver pinned on the sky—turning the pitch black color of the night into a lighter one, made the group feel more at ease. The six of them—Yan amongst the group—were dressed in black, discreet clothes that would certainly help them blend in.

"Okay—everyone ready?" Katara whispered. Checking the flask of water that rested onto her belt, she made sure that the amount of the liquid was enough for her to fight, should it come to this.

Mai went through her knives, while Zuko made sure his dao swords were strapped safely on his back. He looked at Mai and she nodded. "Yes." He whispered.

Poking her fans in the waistband of her black pants, Suki nodded. "Me too." Going to a fight without her Kyoshi Warrior clothes felt a bit odd—it made her feel naked, unsafe—but she quickly shoved the thought aside.

Following the plan, the group decided that taking Appa would have them spotted within minutes. Walking didn't seem like a better option, but it did have its perks. Going around in a striking-white, huge flying bison was definitely not their idea of hiding.

Iroh looked at all of them with concern, his eyes lingering on his nephew and his wife. "Please, be careful." Was all he said, his golden eyes shadowed by caution.

Zuko smiled faintly and placed his hand on the tea maker's shoulder reassuringly. "Don't worry, uncle. We will." He promised. The former general nodded and returned back to the building of his house, knowing that sleep wouldn't come easily that night.

Taking Mai's half-gloved hand in his leather-clad one, the royal couple strode away with the rest of the group. They tried to mix with the shadows, since for all they knew the huàn could have spies everywhere. The streets were pretty much empty. They inched along the walls, looking more like crawling shadows, the soft sound of their feet being the only thing that could possibly give them away. They walked in pairs—Aang and Katara in the front, Zuko and Mai following, with Suki and Yan on their tail.

"What are we going to do if they're too many of them?" Zuko whispered, breaking the silence. "We don't exactly have any advantage when it comes to numbers." He pointed out, motioning towards the rest of his companions to prove his words. "We're just six."

Mai let out a throaty chuckle. "Are you kidding? We have the Avatar." She said, partly joking. They all knew that Aang's powers were spectacular, especially when it came to the Avatar state, but they couldn't just rely to him—it was too much to ask.

"Good point." Zuko chuckled. His right hand was wrapped protectively around her left one. They were risking too much, _that_ he knew. And Mai was probably risking even more, since the huàn wanted her killed more than anything. Zuko was aware of the fact that his wife was fully capable of protecting herself—she had made that clear many times in the past—but he still couldn't help worrying about her safety. His fingers wrapped themselves more tightly around hers.

The walk was long, and the anxiety they were feeling made it even longer, so they were all very relieved when they finally arrived at the area of Su Heng without facing any trouble.

"The gate to the tunnel opens with a totem. The huàn members wear it around their necks." Yan whispered, once the group stopped out of his former house.

"What?" Zuko hissed, finally understanding that the chain around their necks didn't only represent their identity. "And you're telling us _now_?"

Yan held a hand up to reassure that everything was fine. "The gate isn't the only way to get to the tunnel. We can always earth-bend our way down to it."

Zuko just nodded.

"First, we have to make sure no one's inside." Aang suggested, gesturing towards the devastated house. "We don't want anyone to hear us."

"Go ahead." Yan murmured. "We don't have time to waste."

Nodding, Aang took Katara's hand and they entered the isolated building through the hole where once the door had been.

After a few minutes, the pair reappeared and nodded in confirmation. "All clear." Aang murmured. "But the place was all messed-up. Like someone was searching for something."

"Probably me." Yan confirmed, his voice dripping with hate. "They've surely noticed I'm gone—they're searching for clues."

Mai sighed impatiently. "Come on!" She urged. "Let's go before they come back for _more_ clues."

Aang nodded. "Okay, once we get in, there's no turning back." He reminded them.

"Yeah, we know." Suki whispered, her tone bearing a hint of annoyance as she scanned the place for enemies. "Now, can you hurry?"

"Guys, just let me go through the plan once again." Aang pleaded. "Just in case."

Mai shrugged. "Whatever."

"Okay, here's how it goes: we get in the tunnel. Yan leads us to the dungeon. Mai and Zuko will create a distraction for the guards—if there are any—and when the time's right, Katara and I will ran to the room and free Sokka and Toph. In the meantime, Yan and Suki will keep watch, in case more of enemies approach." He informed; his gaze intense. "Got it?"

"Got it." The others nodded before taking some steps back, letting Yan and Aang do all the work.

The two earth-benders moved their hands in synchronization. The movement was sharp, yet rhythmical. Bumping their feet on the ground simultaneously, they created a hole big enough for the gang to enter.

Mai leaned forward, taking a peek into the darkness of the tunnel. "It's going to be a long ride." She murmured, seeing the length of the mole hole the two benders had formed.

"Is it safe?" Katara wondered as the group gathered around the hole to take a closer look.

"Sure!" Aang confirmed. He considered having Katara climb on his back and then air-bend the two of them down the cavity but he decided against it. "I'll use my air-bending to make sure you land safely. I'll go first." He suggested. Using his air-bending, he propelled himself towards the tunnel.

The others waited until they heard a soft thump. "Come down—it's safe!" Aang hissed through the darkness.

"I guess I'm next." Katara muttered, before jumping into the hole. A small rush of air was heard and the others guessed it was Aang using the air to safely land his girlfriend. "Okay, next." She whispered.

Not wasting any more time, Suki leaped. Zuko helped Yan to the opening and after making sure that Mai had landed safely on the tunnel, he jumped in. Casting a glance at his wife to make sure she hadn't scratched herself, he looked around as much as the darkness allowed him to. "Everyone here?" He asked.

The others whispered their confirmation, before Aang closed the hole with a thick layer of earth and dirt, blocking any remaining moonlight out. The darkness that fell over the gang was awfully peaceful. Something felt wrong and all of them mentally wondered if there was someone lurching in one of the corners.

Zuko took off one of his gloves and pushed it in his waistband, not really bothering. Tightening his grip around Mai's fingers, he let a small flame form on his bare palm, bringing the creepy place back to life.

The gang took a look at their surroundings. The stone made cave glimmered under the flickering light. The long halls were empty, making it seem all the more threatening. The maze took brusque turns to various directions, making the group feel dizzy. It was almost like the tunnel split into branches. A gentle breeze passed through the steep corridors, making the place more chilling.

Mai instinctively moved closer to Zuko. "Creepy." She whispered.

"Yeah." Zuko agreed, drawing circles on her hand with his thumb in a reassuring manner. "Let's keep going." He suggested, the bizarre feeling of the tunnel making him shudder. "Yan?"

The old man nodded. Looking around, he motioned towards a dark corridor. The others nodded and followed.

"The map?" Yan inquired as they moved into the darkness, remembering the rough draft they had created according to his information.

"I have it." Zuko replied.

"Once we get deeper, things are going to get messy." Yan whispered. "The map will help."

"Yan's right." Aang agreed, trusting his friend to keep it safe. "Watch each other's backs. We have to get to the cells as quietly as possible." He pointed out. "Zuko, turn off the light. It'll probably give us away. And hold hands—we don't want to get lost."

Zuko let the small flame recede until it left nothing but a light trail of smoke behind. Putting his glove back on, he kept on walking.

As they walked deeper into the tunnels, they tried to be as silent and discreet as possible, being fully aware of the fact that the number of the huàn was far greater than theirs. Just when they thought that they'd have no trouble getting to the cells, they heard the rhythmic sound of steps echoing in the corridors, as some men approached. By the metallic jingle that followed their steps, the gang guessed that they were armed. They pushed their backs against the stony walls in an attempt to make their figures less distinguishable.

"I don't get it." They heard one of the men say. "Why doesn't he kill 'em already? They do no good sitting on their cells."

"Maybe he wants information." The other replied. "And maybe he intends to torture them to get it." They could hear laughter accompanying his words.

Their voices came closer until the group could hear every word. Mai squeezed Zuko's hand in an unspoken question.

"Do it." He whispered back.

Waiting for no more confirmation, Mai pulled her knives out of their hiding place. Trying to see through the thick layer of the darkness, she targeted the men—they were two of them.

"Who's there?" One of them shouted, hearing noise coming from the end of the hall. Drawing his dagger from its sheath, he took a step closer, with the other man following behind.

Not wanting to waste anymore time, Mai answered the man's question with her knives. They flew inches away from the men's flesh, dragging the fabric of their sleeves as they pinned them on the hard walls and ground. The two men had no time to realize what was happening, as the rest of the gang ran towards them. Zuko, using the hilt of one of his swords, knocked the men unconscious.

Aang let out a sigh of relief. They dragged the two men in the shadows and the young Avatar used his earth-bending to secure their hands and feet. "Let's go before they come around." He whispered to the others.

"Wait." Zuko hissed. Wrapping his hand around one of the men's totem, he pulled on the chain. "We're going to need that."

"Let's keep going." Yan whispered. "The cells are not far."

Following Yan's lead, the group walked deeper and deeper in to the shadows. On their way, they ran into more of guards, who they had 'taken care of' the same way. The map came in handy once or twice, when the turns had become too much for Yan to remember. Soon enough, they made it to a corridor that held an open door.

Yan pointed towards it. "That's the dungeon." He informed.

"Okay." Aang took a deep breath, preparing himself for what was about to come. "Mai, Zuko—it's your turn. Katara and I will come in once you've distracted the guards."

"Okay." Zuko agreed, watching the rest of the group—apart from Mai—disappear in the shadows.

He gave her hand a soft squeeze. "Be careful. Keep focused on your enemy, no matter what's going on with me, okay?" He whispered, being fully aware that she sometimes tried to protect Zuko _and_ herself at the same time.

"You too." She whispered back. Zuko nodded and placed a soft kiss on her temple, knowing that this was all he could do right now. Taking a deep breath, they walked towards the open door.

The six guards, who were meant to be scattered around the dungeon, stood outside one cell only. Two figures were inside, tied in an awkward position. Despite the fact that the guards were devoted to their job, they couldn't help but steal a glance at their prisoners. They had expected that making sure they didn't escape would be more interesting, but the way they leaned against the cell's bars confirmed the fact that they were bored. Both Mai and Zuko felt honored to be the ones that would make them have something to do.

Leaning casually against the metal-door's frame, Mai examined one of her knives. "Bad news, boys." She rasped, making the six heads shot up in surprise.

"Shift's over." Zuko continued, drawing his dao swords from his back

With that, the six guards drew their weapons in defense. The battle began in frenzy. Mai was the first to attack, throwing four knives towards a man, who used his sword to avert their hit. With a roar, he lunged for her. Mai was quicker and she left her spot before he got there. Cursing under his breath, the man lunged for her again. Gripping the bars of an empty cell, Mai lifted herself up and stretched out her leg, as if to kick the man, making her arrow holsters shot two arrows to him. In an attempt to avert their hit, the man spun his head to the side, losing his balance and falling down. Mai took that opportunity to pin him on the ground. From the corner of her eye, she saw Katara and Aang running in to the room, towards their friends' cell.

Meanwhile, Zuko was keeping a guard's sword at bay by using his own blades. Up until now, there was no need for him to use his fire-bending. Although the guard's abilities were decent, the young Fire Lord held the upper hand. The man swung his sword again, which came in contact with Zuko's. None of them lost their grip for some seconds. Zuko could feel his hands sweat under his leather gloves. Knowing that his grip would give away soon, he jerked his knee up, hitting his enemy's stomach. The guard howled in pain and let go of his sword in order to wrap his hands around his belly. Zuko found the chance to hit the man's scalp with the hard hilt of one of his sword, causing him to fall on the ground unconscious.

Zuko stole a glance at Mai to make sure that she was okay only to see that she had managed to take two more men down. Smiling briefly, he turned his attention to another guard that lunged for him. The man was unarmed, but his stance proved that he was a waterbender. The young Fire Lord saw the man's hands moving towards his belt, bringing out a whip of water. Zuko decided that it was time for him to use his firebending. The waterbender was only a beginner, knowing nothing but some basic moves. The first water-whip aimed for Zuko's legs, but he managed to jump before the whip hit. Extending his foot towards the man, the young Fire Lord produced a ball of fire. The water-bender used the water as a shield to stop the flame from hitting his body. He aimed for Zuko again and he ducked just in time. Taking a deep breath, the young Fire Lord let the flames get out of his palms, towards his swords. They enveloped the blades, licking the metal powerfully. The water-bender took a step back. Gulping loudly, he aimed another whip towards his enemy. Zuko was quicker. Using his two blades, he averted the hit and lunged for the man, who tried to run away. Zuko managed to knock him unconscious in minutes.

The couple turned their attention towards the remaining guard, who stared at them in horror. They didn't have time to go for him, as he fell on the ground unconscious, a rock falling off his head. Looking at each other in confusion, Mai and Zuko turned to look at the cell behind the man. Toph smiled in mischief.

"I thought you couldn't move without killing me!" Sokka complained.

Toph shrugged as much as her position allowed her to. "I took the risk."

The royal couple's eyes fell on Aang and Katara, who were pushing a whip of water to each other as if they were playing with a ball. The water passed through the thick metal bars, creating a gap.*

"Maybe we should search for the key." Zuko suggested, motioning towards the guards. "We don't have time for that."

"Only Panther has the keys." Sokka said from the cell. "The guards said so."

"Hold on a second." Aang panted, his hands shoving the water back to his girlfriend. "We're almost finished." As to prove his point, the two metal bars gave out, falling slowly on the ground. Zuko caught them before they were able to make a noise that would make hundreds of guards find them.

Slipping inside the cell, Katara used a water-whip to cut through Toph's chains. Once her hands were free, the blind earth-bender sighed in delight before breaking the chains, which kept her feet tied, in two. She eagerly stood up and stretched. "Ah, it feels so good being able to see again!" She exclaimed.

Katara smiled and hugged the girl. "Oh, Toph! I'm so glad you're okay!"

"Ahem." Sokka coughed awkwardly. "I hate to interrupt, but I'm still tied." He said, motioning towards his chains with his chin. "If you don't mind."

Toph let out a small laugh before breaking Sokka's chains. Katara pulled him in a hug. "We were so worried!"

"Guys!" Aang hissed from out of the bars. "Let's get going!"

* * *

_The sunrays passing through the white layer of the clouds made the grain shine as it swayed in the warm breeze. The day was considered to be hot, but the people of the small village were used to this kind of weather. A man stood in the middle of the grain field, a small smile tugging at the edge of his lips as he waited for his young son to catch up with him._

"_Daddy!" The blonde boy whined. "Wait for me!"  
_

_The boy's father let out a small laugh. "Come on, Kyan! We won't find any floppy bunnies if we don't hurry!" He said to the boy. The two of them had made a promise that they'd go see the small long-eared creatures that lived in a cave near the field._

_The boy shrugged and raised his hand to hold his father's. "Do you think we'll see any panthers nearby?" Kyan asked, his voice dripping with hope. "I heard they like caves."_

_The man let out another chuckle. "I don't think there are panthers living here, Kyan."_

_The boy's face fell and his black eyes filled with disappointment. "Too bad. I like panthers."_

"_Tell you what." The boy's father answered, hating to see his son sad. "I'll take you to the forest next week. Maybe we'll run into a panther."_

_Kyan smiled. "Promise?"_

"_Promise." The man smiled and it reached his black eyes, lightening them up._

"_Daddy? Do you see that?" His son asked in a troubled tone, his tiny finger pointing towards the village that rested some meters away. "Smoke."_

_The man's eyes darkened as he watched the swirling, gray fume make its way upwards. A ghost of a flame. And it was coming from their house._

"_Mommy and the babies are in there!" The blond boy gasped, but the man didn't answer. Pulling his son in his arms, he ran towards the village. And then he saw it. Fire Nation troops, marching in the streets, their hideous masks mocking him._

"_Daddy?" The boy cried. "What's happening?"_

_But the man couldn't bring himself to listen, the only thing he could hear were the screams of his wife echoing in his ears. His arms tightened around the boy._

"Panther!" A voice echoed in the dark room, making the man in the throne break out of his reverie.

"What is it, Raven?" Panther snapped, his flashback being too vivid to handle. "I thought I asked you not to be disturbed!"

"The prisoners, my lord." The man panted, making Panther realize that he had been running. "They escaped."

Despite the anger that boiled inside his veins, Panther kept calm. "How." It was more like a statement, than a question.

"They came to their rescue." Raven informed. "A group of six. Three girls, two boys and Yan."

"Are they the prisoners we really thought they were?"

"Yes, my lord." Raven confirmed. "The Avatar, the Firelord and the Firelady were amongst the groups. The two prisoners were Sokka and Toph, just like we suspected."

Panther half-smiled.

"What should we do, my lord? Should I send guards to block the exit?"

"No." Panther said curtly. "Go get Bear. The three of us will wait outside Yan's house."

* * *

"How did you guys end up in Ba Sing Se?" Sokka inquired, as he and the rest of the group run through the corridors in an attempt to find a possible exit.

"Travelling around." Zuko shrugged.

"Whatever. I'm just glad you came to save me." Sokka said. "Being trapped in there… it wasn't nice. My boomerang was taken, my hands and legs were tied, I was starving... I have never felt that weak in my life. To know that I could have fought—"

"Will you _ever_ stop talking?" Toph hissed, smacking Sokka's arm, satisfied that she could use her hands again.

"Whoa, Toph." Mai chuckled. "Relax."

"Easy for you to say. _You_ weren't stuck with him for a whole day!"

"Guys." Aang said, suddenly coming to a stop. "I think that we're in the right place."

"Of course we are." Toph confirmed. With just a move of her fingers, the hole reopened, making the moonlight flow in the tunnel. Bumping her foot on the earth, she raised the ground the group had been standing on towards the hole, bringing them out of the tunnel.

"Phew." Sokka sighed, running a hand across his forehead in exhaustion. "We made it."

A cold chuckle made the group drop their smiles, as three figures stepped out of the nearby shadows. "Well, well." Panther murmured. "That's a bit too optimistic."

***They used that move in an episode called 'The Drill' while they tried to bring it down. I'm not sure if Aang can metal-bend, so I used that instead.**

**I'm sorry it took me so long. This chapter was really important to me, because of Panther's flashback and I wanted it to be perfect. I'm still not satisfied with the result but I did my best. I've also been reading so many books lately and it's so hard to stop reading :D I LOVE books.**

**So, we got to see some more of Panther. His story will pretty much be revealed through flashbacks. I love how mysterious he is!**

**So, I didn't want to have anyone killed because no one was killed in the series. Most of the people were knocked unconscious, apart from some exceptions like Combustion Man. I wanted to make it realistic.**

**I really hope the fighting scenes don't sound a little bit off. I am not that experienced when it comes to battles, so I hope I did that right.**

**I also tried to fit in as much Maiko as possible, under difficult circumstances. **

**Did anyone see the picture of the older gang that's all over the net? If so, what do you think?**

**Please, feel free to suggest things for the rest of the chapters. I try to come up with ideas, but if you have an idea just tell me! **

**Go on and make some Maiko requests. I **_**love**_** Maiko requests! **

**And one big thanks to my beta reader, **_**NinjaKick**_**, who's really awesome!**

**Please, please, **_**please**_** review! It really means a **_**lot**_** to me!**

**Flameo, hotman!**

**~Dora.**


	13. Chapter 13

"Well, well." Panther murmured. "That's a bit too optimistic."

The three figures stepped away from the shadows, their previously hidden faces gleaming in mischief under the moonlight. They inspected the large group in front of them with sharp eyes and glares, which the group returned with their own. Silence hung sharp between them as the two crowds took each other in.

The three older men were dressed black. Their armor consisted of platinum braces that covered their forearms above their black gauntlets and platinum knee braces. On both pieces a single circle was carved.

The man on the left had piercing black eyes and carbon hair framing his rough face. His mischievous smirk made his thick sideburns lift up a bit. Both Zuko and Mai recognized the man as Raven. He seemed to mock them with his expression. Mai felt her husband stiffen in anger from next to her and she put a restraining hand on his arm to stop him from doing anything rash.

The one on the right held a serious expression. His eyes bore the color of sapphires and they were as piercing as Raven's, but they held an inner sincerity and determination. Thick chestnut locks covered his scalp, decorated by blue beads. Soft stubble covered his cheeks and chin. The totem around his neck was that of the shape of a bear. It was obvious that the man was a waterbender.

The one in the middle seemed like the leader. His hands, covered in black gloves, were clasped behind his back. His expression was calm, but the gang could tell that fury boiled in his veins by the way his jaw muscles were strained. Around his neck, hang on a silver chain, was a stone shaped in the form of a black panther. His eyes were so intense that they felt like they bore holes wherever they fell. Raising his eyes to meet his, Zuko almost gasped. If he had previously thought that Raven's eyes were black, then there were no words to describe _that_ color. Panther's eyes were slate black, darker than a million secrets stacked on top of each other. His blonde hair made them stand out against his pale complexion. Zuko noticed that the man's left leg had been replaced by a metal one, as if the flesh and bone under the knee had been severed. The young Fire Lord held the man's gaze for a while, before Panther turned his eyes on Mai.

Zuko narrowed his eyes suspiciously. Sensing the direction of his gaze, the Fire Lady's eyes turned steely, defensive. "_Panther_." She whispered, her voice breaking the heavy tranquility.

The man let a small smile curve his lips upwards. "I see there's no need for introductions." He said as he took two steps closer to the group, his followers being a breath away. When the group answered with icy glares, he shrugged his shoulders. He turned his scorching gaze at the two teenagers that had previously been his prisoners. "I see that _Jin_ and _Wang_—" He spat the names, as if they were insulting. "—are friends with the Avatar and the Fire Lord himself. What a nice company you keep."

"Funny." Mai scoffed, surprising the black-eyed man with her disinterest. "I was about to say the same thing." She pointed towards Raven and Bear with her chin.

Panther, ignoring her words, cocked his head at one side, his eyes examining the girl in front of him. "And what's that? Fire Lady Mai finally in flesh and bone."

Mai raised a perfect black eyebrow, taunting him. "Why do I have a feeling that you'd rather see me just in bones?"

Zuko stiffened from next to her and she realized just how harsh her words must have sounded to him.

The man gave her a cynical smile. "True." He agreed. "These past few months, my life has revolved around you, _my lady_. I've formed many plans for your murder, but none of them seemed to reach perfection. My men had been impeccably trained and organized when they attacked at North Pole, but still you managed to get away." His eyes darted towards Zuko angrily but his voice was velvety, soft as if it was meant to sing a lullaby. "Just when I thought that I'd have to form yet another plan, you _offer_ yourself to me." Panther gestured towards the Fire Lady to prove his point. Zuko wrapped an arm around Mai's waist, pulling her against his side protectively. Panther's words, even though kind-spoken, made him sick to the core. "How generous of you, my lady."

Glaring at the man in front of him, Zuko tried to control the anger and disgust that boiled in his veins. His fire was begging to come out of his palm, towards Panther's face but he struggled to stop himself from causing unnecessary trouble. "We're not offering _anything_ to you." He said through clenched teeth.

"That's gone far enough." Aang spoke for the first time in the day, his grey eyes looking at the black orbs intensely. "Stop, if you know what's good for you."

"Brave words coming from a boy." His icy voice whispered, staring at the Avatar with piercing eyes that absorbed all light and reflected none. "Would it sound strange if I told you that even _I_ had once trusted in you, young Avatar?" For an instant, the group thought that they saw a small flicker of humanity in the man's face, but it was gone as quickly as the blink of an eye.

Aang didn't give up trying. "You can still trust in me, Panther. Fire Lord Zuko and I—"

"_Don't!_ Don't tell me about how much you tried to change the world!" The man snapped; his voice harsh. The light highlighted the ruthlessness of his face and created the illusion that his eyes had turned the color of molten silver. Aang felt like taking a step back, but he fought against it, his fingers holding onto his glider tightly. Somehow, he felt like he was going to need the wooden stick soon.

"But he did!" Katara insisted, standing up for her boyfriend. "He _did_ try and he _did_ change it!"

The black-eyed man seemed to take a deep breath, returning back to his cool demeanor. "He changed _nothing_." He said, his voice just above a whisper. "All those people, all that pain… and the Fire Nation is still _here_, as glorious as ever."

Zuko took a step forward and took a deep breath. "Ozai has already paid for his doings. He was greedy and power hungry but I'm _not_ him. Our nation doesn't have to pay for his mistakes." His voice was loud and steady but Zuko wasn't sure that his words would change the man's attitude. Being as traumatized from the long war as Panther, Zuko understood why the man had so much hatred bottled up inside. But since he became the leader of the Fire Nation, he had done nothing but redeem his nation's name to the world and correct past mistakes. Panther's words were unjust and unfair. "And neither do I."

Panther let out a bitter chuckle. "You don't get it, do you?" He said, almost conversationally if it weren't for the chilling gleam in his eyes. "I don't care _who_ pays, as long as I take my revenge. What you've done to restore your nation's honor has done nothing to take my—_our_—pain away." He suddenly turned his eyes, black orbs burning with vengeance, towards Mai, but when he spoke his words were meant for Zuko. "And you are going to feel the exact same pain."

Zuko wanted to step forward and tell him that he'd do anything to protect Mai; that his twisted plans wouldn't work; that he would keep her safe even if it meant getting killed. But before he got the chance to do any of these, Panther snapped his fingers and more black-clad figures stepped out of the shadows, bringing them to life.

Seven more figures stepped forward and took their place next to Panther. Their faces were expressionless, sincere, but just like Panther, the group could see a piercing gleam in their gaze. Zuko wondered if all members of the huàn had those scorching eyes.

A moment of rigid silence dropped between the two large groups. All of them seemed to choose their enemy, the one they'd take down first. The gang positioned themselves in fighting stances, their eyes narrowed. Sokka tried to keep his hostile demeanor despite the fact that he had no weapon to fight with. If he were lucky, maybe he could hide behind Toph as she took care of the men in front of her without being seen.

The two groups made no move to attack for a moment, each one of them waiting for the other to start the fight. Panther had his hands still tucked neatly behind his lower back, even though his companions had already drew their weapons. Mai saw that the man had a sword strapped around his belt and wondered why he had made no move to use it.

Toph let out an exasperated sigh, wondering whether she should be the first one to attack or not. "Oh, whatever!" She shouted and all it took was a small bump of her foot to knock one man on the ground.

And, as if Toph had pressed the button that would start a very noisy machine, the isolated place filled with roars.

The fight that followed was the exact opposite from the civilized conversation they had minutes ago. Mai's knives flew in the air, expertly avoiding her companions. They aimed for Raven, but he quickly ducked and ran towards another direction. Mai remembered what Panther had said: his men had been impeccably trained for her knives. Cursing under her breath, she ran closer to her enemy.

Sokka watched wide-eyed as Toph bumped her fists together and cocked her head to one side. He moved behind her discreetly, using her body as a shield. Her pale, clouded eyes seemed to narrow as she placed her target. Pumping her heel on the cracked ground, she knocked another man unconscious. As the man fell on the ground, Sokka saw an object strapped on his back, gleaming as the soft light of the moon fell on it. "Boomerang!" He exclaimed, running to reclaim his loved weapon. "You always come back!"

Bear lunged for Aang, his hands poised over his water-filled pouch. A trail of water hovered above it and he formed it into a ball in his hands. The young Avatar used his wooden glider as a shield when the ball aimed for his face. Rotating the stick in unimaginable speed, he created a layer of air between him and his enemy, making him stumble behind. Toph stepped in, then. Bumping her foot on the ground, she sent the man some meters in the air, before he fell on the ground unconscious.

Panther groaned and took his sword out of its sheath. His most trusted and capable men were making a fool out of themselves in front of some kids and that made him furious. Scanning the field in front of him, his eyes fell on Zuko who was keeping two more men at bay by using his flaming dao swords. Just when Panther set his gaze on him, the young Firelord knocked both men unconscious, turning his attention towards Raven who was still fighting with Mai.

The black-haired man was sweating as he was trying to avoid the Fire Lady's knives and arrows, while at the same time trying to do some damage on her. His blade gleamed under the moonlight as he attempted another swing. Zuko was faster and he produced a blast of fire, making the man use his sword to avert the flame's hit rather than attack Mai. The knife-thrower gave her husband a thankful smile before returning her attention to her enemy. Her eyes scanned his body in an attempt to find the best place to throw her shuriken stars. From the corner of her eye, she saw Panther running towards Zuko—dagger ready at hand. The shuriken star she was cradling in her palm—previously planning to shoot it at Raven—flew towards Panther, brushing his shoulder. It tore the black leather, revealing a slot of pale skin.

While Zuko shot another blazing flame towards Raven, Mai took care of the group's leader. Panther proved to be a big challenge, as his skills were those of an experienced warrior. Her knives were easily avoided and whatever damage she managed to do was only on his leather clothes. Pinning his wrists on the ground was out of the question, since his forearms were covered in armor. As Panther extended his blade just some inches away from her heart, she ducked down, kicking her leg out. One arrow shot out of its holster, falling through the man's metallic knee. Panther let out a groan of pain and staggered. Half-smiling in pride, Mai ran closer to the man, her fingers shoving a shuriken towards his fingers in an attempt to make him lose his grip on his sword. Panther groaned in pain, as the blade sliced through his flesh, releasing a small trail of black blood, his dagger falling out of his palm. Noticing that her enemy was defenseless, Mai let three blades make their way in between her knuckles. She raised her fist and was about to pin the man on the ground when—

"Ugh!"

Mai's head twirled around at the moan of pain that came out of her husband's lips. Her eyes widened as she saw him wrap a hand around his left upper arm, where the fabric had been torn and replaced by crimson liquid. "Zuko!" She screamed and her hand shot up in an attempt to help.

Zuko craned his neck to look at her when she heard her voice. She saw his golden eye widen in fear and shock, his pain suddenly forgotten as he shouted: "Mai! Watch out!"

Looking at him in a mix of worry and confusion, she didn't have time to register her husband's words, as a strong, armored hand snuck around her waist pushing her against a chest. It took her a while to realize that her back was being pushed against Panther's body, as he held his dagger against the smooth skin of her throat. She tried to move, but she found out that her hands were immobile as Panther's arm kept them still. The cold metal of the blade made her realize that writhing wasn't a good idea. She proceeded to keep on her emotionless façade, as Panther pressed the knife closer to her neck. "Be a good girl and I won't hurt you." Panther whispered in her ear and she gave him a sidelong glare.

Zuko forgot about the gash on his arm, he forgot about Raven just a few feet before him, he forgot that they were trying to stop the huàn. All he could concentrate on was Mai and the knife that had been placed over her perfect skin. Fear covered every cell of his body; it froze him on his spot. He felt it with a searing fire that seemed to shatter him into a thousand pieces. He raised his eyes to look into Panther's sinfully black ones. "Let her go!" He shouted, his voice breaking in desperation.

At his shout, the others stopped moving, their bodies freezing in awkward positions as they realized what was going on. Enemies and friends shuddered at the scene before them.

"Let her go!" Zuko shouted again. He made for Panther, but before he could attack, two strong hands wrapped themselves around his torso. Sokka.

"Zuko." He hissed in his ear. "This is no time for rush decisions. She could get hurt."

The Firelord struggled in his friend's arms before he finally calmed down, knowing that that was the only thing he could do to help Mai. Seeing her expressionless face, one would think that she didn't really care that she was just some inches away from death. But Zuko, who was able to see past her nonchalant face could tell that she was desperate to get out of Panther's grip.

Panther scanned the faces in front of him. "Drop your weapons or I kill her."

Zuko locked eyes with Mai and she shook her head no as much as her position allowed her to. He understood what she meant; _don't care about me, just finish them off._ The thought sounded ridiculous and utterly painful to Zuko. He felt his fingers stretch out automatically, letting his dao swords fall from his hands, looking in Mai's eyes all the time. He heard the metallic noise they made as they fell on the ground—it was the only sound and it echoed in between the isolated buildings, but all he could think of was Mai.

Mai saw him drop his blades and gave him a disapproving look that he didn't seem to notice.

"And the rest of you!" Panther barked, his velvety voice making her ears hurt.

Mai watched as their group dropped their weapons and stances—with Sokka almost crying at having to let go of his beloved boomerang.

"Here, we all dropped our weapons." Aang said, placing his own glider on the hard ground. "We aren't going to fight you, anymore."

"Just…" Zuko began, his voice quivering, pleading. "Just let her go."

Panther pondered the situation. His blade was _oh, too close_ to her throat. So close that it would only take a jerk of his fingers to have her killed. His enemies had done as he had instructed them to and now all of their weapons lay by their feet. He was never one of those people that kept their promises—only a small movement of his hand and she'd be dead, just like he wanted. He could almost see the ruby liquid of her blood on his shiny sword.

But as he raised his eyes to look around him, he noticed something for the first time: his men were defeated. Only Raven was still standing, a couple of feet away from the Fire Lord, leaning against a broken wall for support. His breath was ragged and Panther could tell that he wouldn't be able to fight any longer. The leader's eyes moved towards Bear. His capable warrior was hunched on the ground, rubbing his head as he started to come around. If he killed her—right there, on the spot—Fire Lord Zuko would attack him. He wouldn't let this go—he and his companions would fight until Panther was dead. All that mattered now was to escape, to get away safely.

His eyes scanned the place once more, their color a black so endless that it absorbed every last particle of light. The thought of murdering her was tempting—too tempting—but no, it was neither the right time nor the right place for this.

"We'll meet again, my lady." He seethed in her ear.

"You're never going to escape." Mai snapped back.

"Did you forget?" The man let out a leering chuckle. "I'm a panther."

With that, he waved his arm quickly, his fingers spread, raising a thick layer of dust, dirt and soil off the ground. The others didn't see this coming. When they tried to act, they realized that they couldn't see anything in front of them, as the dust made their eyes water up. Only Toph could feel the vibrations. She attempted to hit the men with some rocks, but they were gone from their spots.

Zuko panicked. "Mai!" He shouted, waving his arms in front of his face to get rid of the hovering dust. "Mai!" His eyes searched for Panther, for Mai, for anything. He tried to control his ragged breath at the thought of Panther taking her with him, but the effort was pointless.

By the time the dust had settled down, Panther was gone. And so was Raven and Bear. Rubbing his eyes, Zuko looked around, seeing his wife fallen on the ground, a small cough leaving her lips.

"Oh, Agni." He sighed in relief and ran to her. Falling on his knees, he took her in his arms, tangling his gloved hands on her hair, as he pressed her closer to his chest. "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?" His hands skidded across her body and her face, searching for any kind of injury.

Mai put her hands around his wrists, stopping his rushed movements. Placing her hand on his scarred cheek, she looked deep in his eyes. "I'm fine."

Zuko let out another heavy sigh of relief. And suddenly, his mouth was on hers. He shuddered at the feeling. He had been so close to losing her again and he had been able to do nothing to prevent it. As his mouth rose and dipped against hers, he made a promise that he'd make Panther pay.

When he pulled back, he helped her on her feet, grateful as ever that she was unharmed. "Are _you_ okay?" Mai asked him, her eyes darting towards the wound on his left arm.

Zuko blinked in confusion, before remembering the small gash. "Oh. Yeah, it's just a scratch." Taking her hand in his, he lead her towards the others.

"They're… _gone_." Sokka whispered, almost afraid of saying the words. "How did he do that?"

"He's an earth-bender." Toph answered. "I should have known."

Katara shook her head. "What's wrong with that guy? He was so…"

"Creepy? Direful? Macabre? Dreadful?" Sokka guessed.

Katara gave him a strange look before answering. "Um… I was going to say weird."

Sokka shrugged. "And he didn't seem to have any respect for the spirit of partnership." He said, gesturing towards the seven defeated huàn members that lied unconscious on the cracked ground.

"At least he was kind enough to take Bear and Raven with him." Mai said sarcastically. She proceeded to pick up her knives, arrows and shuriken stars that she had used during the battle. She loved all of her weapons and seeing them being wasted on some unworthy enemies made her scowl.

"Let's go." Zuko muttered, placing a protective hand on her lower back. "This place is depressing."

Aang looked around. "Do you think we should take one of them with us? Maybe they know something."

"Nah." Toph shook her head. "They're all meatloaves. Only Raven and Bear know the good stuff—that's why Panther took them with him."

"Maybe we should go back to the tunnel." Suki suggested. "I suppose we can find something in there."

"It's too dangerous." Yan replied. "This tunnel is still full of capable huàn members."

"And we're all very tired." Katara agreed. "Let's go back to Iroh."

****oOo****

The sun had just started rising, turning the black sky into a sweet violet. The gang was glad—the endless black of the night reminded them too much of Panther. They were all very tired when they finally reached the tea maker's beautiful house. They dragged their feet inside and made their way to the second floor, where their rooms rested. Mumbling a soft goodnight to each other—even though it was morning—they retired to their soft beds.

Both Mai and Zuko could use a hot bath, but they were too tired for that. That night, they had achieved both victory and failure. Yes, their friends were no longer captives, but Panther still managed to escape. And they didn't have enough information about that Final Battle Yan had mentioned, but they had a feeling that they'd have to stop the huàn before then.

Having stepped out of her black clothes and into a cozy, red sleeping robe, Mai fumbled through drawers. Stealing a glance at Zuko, she saw that he'd already fallen onto the bed, his eyes closed even though he wasn't sleeping. His bare chest moved as he breathed; the pinkish scar near his heart changing color under the orange glow of the sun. Finding what she was looking for, she walked closer to the bed and sunk next to him.

As her fingers gripped his left arm tenderly, his eyes opened and looked at her. She smiled softly as she proceeded to clean the wound, which was deeper than she thought it'd be.

"Sleep, Mai. I'll be fi—" A sharp look from his wife made him stop talking and accept her treatment.

Finishing with the wound, she wrapped the white bandages around it, wincing when he hissed in pain. "This should stop the blood for a while. Katara can take a look at it later." She murmured, as he took her slender fingers and put them against his lips, kissing the soft skin.

"Thank you." He whispered, scooting over so that she could lie down. With another soft sigh, she rested her head on his chest, as he wrapped a strong arm around her frame.

Their thoughts travelled to the previous events that seemed too far away now that the sun had risen. The black depths of Panther's eyes seemed so dark in comparison with the beautiful day out of their window. Mai shuddered as she remembered the way the black orbs looked at her.

Zuko ran a hand up and down her arm reassuringly. "We'll find him, Mai. He won't get to you." He promised, his lips brushing the crown of her head.

Mai nodded. "It just seems unfair. Going through all of this when it's not our fault."

Zuko sighed—he knew the feeling. He had gone through a lot during his life, even though he wasn't to blame for anything. "I know. But things will get better. I promise."

Mai hummed softly in his chest, before raising her head for a soft kiss. His lips brushed against her, gentle as feathers, and for one moment everything was perfect.

**I enjoyed writing this chapter so, so much :D I did my best with the fighting scenes. **

**This chapter is really, really important to me. :D It's the first meeting :D**

**And yes! Finally—Panther's face is revealed. More Panther-flashbacks will follow.**

**So, my idea is that Iroh has a house with some guest rooms, as he hoped for Zuko's and Mai's visits.**

**Finally, some Maiko! It's been a while since I wrote those beautiful scenes between those two.**

**Please, let me know what you think. Feel free to make suggestions if you have any ideas. **

**Go on and make a Maiko request, if you like. I LOVE REQUESTS! And check out the poll on my profile as well, because I love hearing your opinion.**

**One big thanks to **_**NinjaKick**_**. She's really awesome.**

**And a big thanks goes to my reviewers, who are still reading this story. Please, review, it really means a lot to me.**

**I need reviews, my fellow hotman!**

**~Dora.**


	14. Chapter 14

It was early in the morning when Panther finally arrived in the Middle Ring of Ba Sing Se. He tried his best to blend in with the shadows but the light of the sun and the vast amount of the people in the streets made it really difficult. The fact that Bear was leaning his weight on his shoulder, while his synthetic leg made his thigh ache, didn't help either.

After the half-victorious, half-humiliating battle between his men and the Avatar's friends, Panther had tried to find the best place for them to work on their next move. The underground tunnel was out of the question—he didn't know if his enemies were still there, but he was hoping that the rest of his men would be smart enough to take care of them. The only place he had managed to come up with was the place he least wanted to visit. _Beggars can't be choosers. _He thought to himself as he took the easiest route towards the house.

Raising a hand to the wooden door, he hesitated. He hadn't been in this place for years and hadn't seen _him_ since he was a fifteen year old boy. And here he stood, ten years later, determined to ask his _help_.

_Help?_ He scoffed, his black eyes staring at the wooden door. _How can he help me, anyway? He's not capable of helping himself, much less helping me._

"My lord?" Raven asked from behind him, confused by Panther's hesitation. His eyes darted towards the door and then at Bear who was breathing heavily, indicating that they were wasting precious time.

Not wanting to seem weak in front of his men, Panther banged on the door, his hand sweating under his gauntlet.

Seconds passed agonizingly slow before the door finally opened. He stood there; a man in his early fifties; blonde hair tied in a top-knot and black eyes—frighteningly similar to Panther's—looking at the three men in front of him in doubt.

Panther had never thought that seeing him would bring him such joy; it turned out that it did. A small smile tugged at the edge of his lips. "Father?"

* * *

It wasn't until the sun dipped behind a faraway mountain—turning the blue sky into a mix of purple and orange—that the gang crawled out of their beds and out of their rooms. Iroh had made dinner and tea again and the smell was too mouthwatering to resist. Instead of staying under the covers, they decided to listen to their stomachs' desires.

Soon enough, they were all sitting on puffy cushions around a low table, digging into their food with eager appetite. They recited last night's events to Iroh, who listened without interrupting. The former general, despite his concern and worry for the young teenagers' fate, felt quite proud for their accomplishments and told them so. After dinner, they all agreed that they should start planning on their next move.

Sokka and Toph proceeded to tell them everything they'd learnt during their short stay in the huàn prison. "Panther leads the whole organization, and Raven and Bear are his right hands." Sokka said.

"The rest are just following orders, hoping that they'll get their revenge." Toph added, shrugging. "It was fun watching them pretending to be useful."

"Actually, they _were_ useful." Sokka pointed out, turning to look at the rest of the group with those intense eyes that resembled Hakoda too much. "The huàn are planning a Final Battle by the end of the summer. _Huge_ numbers."

"End of the summer?" Aang gasped. "But, that's in a couple of months. And we hardly know anything about them."

Sokka held up a hand to signalize that he had more to tell them. "While we were there, there was much discussion on the topic."

"They thought we couldn't hear but, being blind, I have a better hearing than most people." Toph quipped proudly. "They'll try to invade in the Fire Nation capital in a couple of months. They hope they'll have killed Mai by then, but even if they haven't, the battle will still take place."

"Wait." Zuko held up his right hand to stop the flow of the words, his other one gripping Mai's fingers protectively. "If they… k—kill Mai… they'll achieve their aim. Why attack us?"

Mai's eyes narrowed in suspicion as she guessed. "They want to take you down."

Sokka nodded solemnly. "Exactly. They want to take the Fire Lord's place and take their revenge."

It seemed like his words echoed in the house, making them all the more frightening and threatening. All of them understood what those words meant, but they were all too afraid to speak them out loud.

"They'll destroy the Fire Nation. _Entirely_." Katara murmured after some time, placing a hand over her mouth in shock.

Silence fell over the room as each one of them pondered over their new discoveries. The huàn obviously knew that Zuko would be devastated after Mai's death—which Zuko would make sure they'd never achieve. They would use that to their advantage. Mai remembered Panther's words; _the Fire Nation is still here, glorious as ever._ Their plan wasn't to just get to the Fire Lord and his Fire Lady, but the whole Fire Nation. So there was only one choice now.

Aang turned to the rest of the group. "We'll have to stop them before the end of the summer."

* * *

The man froze on the door, dumbfounded; mouth open in bewilderment. He blinked several times to make sure that his eyes didn't play any tricks on him, but every time he raised his eyelids the three men were still there.

"Kyan?" He managed to say, his voice dripping with doubt.

"Yes, dad." Panther murmured. It had been a while since he last said the word and it rolled on the tip of his tongue in an odd way. "It's me." He paused, not sure what to say next but being fully aware that he had to say something. For someone who had never been in loss of words, he surprisingly didn't know how to proceed. "Can we come in? One of us is hurt." He pointed towards Bear with his chin.

Kyan's father nodded slowly and took a step aside to let the three huàn member pass. His eyes were still widened, but he seemed to have recovered from his initial shock. He gestured towards a bed that rested in a corner of the small house and Panther laid his hurt companion on it, relieved to finally get rid of the extra weight. "Do you have bandages? His head's bleeding."

As to prove his words, Bear moaned in pain when Panther placed his fingers over a small gush on his sculp. The old man nodded and, after searching through some cabinets and drawers, handed his son white fabric and a bowl of water to clean the wound. Panther nodded, thankful, and proceeded to take care of his companion, with Raven shifting in worry.

The older man watched in curiosity and—now that his shock was gone—suspicion, as his son worked without explaining the reason of his visit. He was certain that his unexpected appearance had nothing to do with a family visit and he intended to learn what was in Kyan's best interests. "Why are you here, Kyan?" He finally asked when he realized that his visitors wouldn't say anything.

Panther thought of the irony; he always seemed to be powerful enough to control an entire organization, but under his father's gaze, he turned into the young boy he used to be. And he hated it. He didn't want to be the seven-year-old child who watched his house burning, too helpless and weak to do something to prevent it. He didn't want anything to remind him of that boy. "Don't call me that." He finally said without raising his head from his work. "My name's Panther."

"Your name's Kyan." Despite himself, the man smiled faintly. His son always had a love for the black, cat-like animals. His dream was to see one in a nearby forest, but he never had the chance to fulfill it.

The black-eyed man straightened, his work on his companion's wound finished. He stood up and took some steps closer to his father, his orbs looking at him hypnotizingly. "Not anymore." Panther's hand snuck under his shirt, bringing out the black totem. "I'm Panther, leader of the huàn."

Black met black as the father looked into his son's eyes with a combination of concern and disgust. Rumors concerning the rebellious organization had been spreading in a dramatic speed around the world. The fifty-year-old man knew that its upper aim was to take revenge on the Fire Nation. He was well aware of his son's hate, but he would have never believed that he would be capable of going so far. Looking in that face again, he longed to see the young boy that laughed all the time. But that boy was gone. "I would have never expected this from you, Kyan. You always yearned for revenge—but _this!_ This is cruel!"

Panther shrugged his shoulders. "An eye for an eye." He leaned against a wall casually, pretending that his father's words didn't affect him. "They took my family—I take the Fire Lady and the throne."

The older black-eyed man shook his head in anger. "You of all people must know the pain of loss. Why would you want it for anyone else?"

"Because, _Father_, none of them cared about _my_ pain!" He snapped; his words, even though softly spoken, burnt with an inner fury. "And I'm not just going to stand by and watch, like you did. I'm not weak—not anymore."

"You were never weak, Kyan, you—"

"Don't call me that!"

"You just haven't realized what real strength is." The man continued, as if he hadn't heard his son's words.

"Oh, I have." He cooed, his fingers curling around the object around his neck lovingly. "But I'm not here to argue with you. Unfortunately, I need you."

"What do you want from me?"

"We were attacked by the Avatar last night—they found our hideout. We need a place to stay in order to reorganize and form a plan before returning to the tunnel."

The man pinched the bridge of his nose in desperation, a heavy sigh leaving his lips. "I'm not going to tolerate treachery under my own roof. You're welcome to stay here, son—but no plans, no secret organizations."

Panther set his jaw in an attempt to stop himself from shouting. "If you loved mom just a bit, you'd—"

"I loved and still love your mother with all my heart." The man stated calmly. "And I know that she wouldn't want this."

Panther shook his head, his charcoal eyes shadowed by grief and anger. "You know nothing about her."

"I know that she loved you and she wouldn't want you to fill your life with hate." Smiling softly, he gestured towards his son's fake leg. "You tried to save her and your sisters back then. It didn't work—but it was brave."

Panther scoffed and threw his hands in the air in frustration. "It was pathetic!" He said sharply, kicking his metal leg out to prove his point. "I didn't achieve anything but _this!_ And I'm going to redeem myself, I'm going to make the Fire Nation suffer like we all suffered."

"Then you're on your own."

His father's words—even though they had been calmly spoken, lacking hatred and anger—made Panther suck in his breath. It was irrational—he was always on his own, without any help. What did he expect from him anyway? He knew what the outcome of this conversation would be, but his words still hurt. "I'm always on my own."

"You are welcome to stay here on the condition that you forget everything about this organization. Otherwise, as soon as your friend comes around, you'll be on your way."

Panther put his gloved hands on his hips and stared at the ground, pondering over his father's words. A few seconds later he nodded solemnly. "Tell me when he regains consciousness." He ordered Raven, who nodded. He was too worried about his son that was still in the tunnel and Bear to do anything else. "Then we'll leave."

Shooting a sharp look at his father, he strode out of the door and shut it behind him. The gardens of the house were small but beautiful enough for him to hate them. Sitting on the doorsteps, under the porch, he let his mind wander back, to memories that he had buried deep inside, determined not to seek for them again.

* * *

"_Before the end of the summer?_" Suki gasped. "How?"

Aang sighed and rubbed his arrowed forehead—suddenly feeling exhausted. "I—I don't know. But we'll have to figure something out. We can't let them organize their forces again."

"They weren't expecting our attack yesterday." Zuko pointed out. "That should slow them down for a while."

"Probably a couple of days." Sokka agreed. "Until they find another hide-out."

"Maybe we _should_ check the tunnel, after all." Katara suggested. "Even though their numbers are huge, it's the only place we have a chance of actually finding something."

"Sure." Mai shrugged, her tone indicating that she was about to say something sarcastic. "It's not like the tunnel is spread in a fifty-mile radius. We can just barge in, beat one-thousand people to death and ask for the 'information-office'. Nice plan."

Katara frowned. "What should we do, then?"

No one had the answer to that.

* * *

_The blonde boy watched as the flames engulfed the walls of his home. The way the fire caressed the stone—two elements combined—would have been fascinating, had it not been for his two sisters and his mother who were trapped inside that building._

_The boy whimpered in his father's arms. The older man blinked the tears away and placed his son on the ground, somewhere where he could be hidden by the shadows. "Listen to me, Kyan. I want you to stay here—don't move no matter what happens. Do you understand?"_

_Kyan nodded and watched as his father ran towards the flaming inferno. The Fire Nation troops were still marching in the small village. Under other circumstances, the blonde boy would have found the ridiculous masks funny. But there was nothing funny about the way they kept walking in synchronization, making the people scream and ran for their lives._

_His father was trying to put out the fire, but his earth-bending was completely useless against the flames. The boy heard his mother's screams and the babies' cries and he clasped two small hands over his ears in an attempt to block them out. _I have to help._ He thought. _Mommy needs me.

_Before he had time to consider the consequences of his actions, he ran away from his hiding place. Passing through the feet of the marching army, he tried to get to his father._

_It wasn't until he fell to the ground, howling in pain, that he realized his left leg was in flames. Kyan screamed in agony and watched as one man of the army raised his mask and grinned down at him, before continuing his pace._

"_Daddy!_

"Panther!"

Panther's black eyes snapped open and took a look at their surroundings. He wasn't in his village; there were no Fire Nation troops and definitely no flames. Only Raven was looking at him expectantly.

"What do you want, Raven?" He snapped, still startled by his flashback.

"Bear is conscious again, my lord." Raven informed. "We're free to go."

Standing up, Panther nodded and walked into the house reluctantly. His father was helping Bear sit up from the bed and Panther remembered how he was helping him sit up when he lost his leg.

"You're leaving." His father stated.

"Yes."

"Where are you going to go?"

"Raven's house is still standing nearby. It's half-demolished but it'll do."

The older man nodded. "I wish the best of luck."

"I don't need luck." Panther said.

_Oh, you do._ The older man thought. As the three men walked out of his door, he placed a steady hand on his son's shoulder. "It was good to see you again, Kyan."

Panther shrugged out of his father's grip and stared at him with hard eyes. "I wish I could say the same."

And then the door closed.

* * *

Iroh's balcony was surprisingly relaxing and soothing and Mai could just sit there and watch the twinkling stars in the clear sky for hours. Somehow, being on her own took her mind away from the problems they had to face. Their previous conversation resulted to them feeling more useless and frustrated than ever. They had taken a step forward by finding their hideout, but now they were stuck and, no matter how much they tried, they still hadn't figured out their next move. Eventually, they gave up for the night, hoping that the sun would bring the solution along with the morning light.

She was gently pulled out of her thoughts by two warm hands enveloping her slender shoulders with a warm blanket. Raising her head from her sitting position, she saw Zuko smiling down at her.

"I thought you'd be cold." He murmured softly.

She smiled thankfully and wrapped the blanket closer to her body, before motioning for him to sit down.

Smiling down at her, he slid behind her so that she'd rest between his knees, her back against his chest. Wrapping his arms around her, he let his warmth out. "Better?"

Mai hummed softly. "Mhmm, thank you."

Zuko half-smiled, watching as Mai was in a faraway place, probably barely feeling his presence. He couldn't help but wonder what she was thinking as she starred into the distance, her pale golden eyes gleaming under the moonlight. _Agni, she's beautiful._ He thought, before finally deciding to bring her out of her reverie. "I like you hair down."

He felt her body shake in his arms as she let out a small laugh. "You say that every time, Zuko."

"That's because it's true every time." He whispered.

Mai shifted in his arms so that she could face him. Her fingers curled themselves around his brown locks and she pulled his face closer to hers. "And I like _your_ hair down."

He raised his eyebrow in surprise but, before he had time to say anything, her lips were on his, brushing away any coherent word and thought. He sighed in her mouth and pulled her closer to his body, welcoming the sweet contact. She moaned softly, his lips being even warmer than his hands on her waist.

When they pulled back, their breathing was heavy and she slid her back against his chest again, sighing contently.

"What were you thinking about before?" He whispered at her, burying his face in the crook of her neck.

Mai shrugged. "Nothing in particular. The sky, the huàn, you."

She felt him smile against the smooth skin of her neck. "I was thinking about you, too."

Mai smiled. "What about me?"

"After all of this is over, I'm taking you to Ember Island." He stated, indicating that it was a promise.

Mai's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Ember Island? How come?"

"Well…" He started. "It's perfect—sun, sea, beach. It's relaxing. We'll need it after all we've been through." He leaned closer to her, his lips brushing her earlobe as he spoke. "And we never had a chance to finish our honeymoon." He whispered.

Mai thought about it and smiled up at him. "Sounds like a plan."

He smiled back and leaned in for a kiss. Their mouths were just an inch apart and she could almost taste his lips on hers, when Sokka ran towards the balcony, breaking them out of the moment.

"Zuko—someone's asking for you." He must have thought that it was important, since he didn't make any comments about their almost-kiss.

Zuko sighed and stood up, offering a hand to Mai. _Later_, he mouthed. "Me? Who knows I'm here?"

"I don't know." Sokka said, shaking his head. "But he said it's important. He said it's about the huàn."

Nodding, Mai and Zuko ran into the house and approached the front hall, where a man stood under the porch. His blonde hair was pulled back on a neat high-knot and his black eyes reminded the group of someone they didn't want to think of. He didn't seem to be older than fifty.

As Zuko approached the door, his hand wrapped tightly around Mai's, he looked at the man questioningly. "Can I help you?"

"Fire Lord Zuko." The man bowed. "In fact, I believe that _I_ can help _you_."

"I don't understand."

The man took a deep breath and gathered his courage. "I'm Panther's father."

**And here's another chapter :D It's going to be a while until I update again. I'm going on vacation on Friday morning and won't be back for a week or so. With no internet connection. I'll work on the next chapter and on the request I got.**

**I think that the gaang will stop the huàn before the Final Battle. I hate Final Battles—they're so difficult to write. And the story would be too long with a final battle. What do you guys think?**

**In this chapter, I wanted to show you that Panther has started getting weak, his cool composure is slowly slipping away. I just LOVE Panther.**

**And I'm so happy with the last Maiko scene!**

**I want to thank everyone who's been reading and reviewing. My aim is to have 100 reviews for this story and I hope I will. **

**Maikoluvr is so supporting! Thank you for your big reviews!**

**And one big thanks to my awesome beta, **_**NinjaKick**_**! :D**

**Check out the poll on my profile! ;) And please review, it really means a lot to me.**

**It's a giant mushroom! Maybe it's FRIENDLY!**

**~Dora.**


	15. Chapter 15

_The man took a deep breath and gathered his courage. "I'm Panther's father."_

For some long seconds, the room fell silent. It felt like the black-eyed man hadn't even spoken, as the group pondered over what he had just said. At first, they weren't sure if they should believe his words—for all they knew, it could be another one of Panther's impetuous tricks. But the man kept starring at them expectantly, as if he was waiting for an answer. If that man truly was the leader's father, _why_ was he here? Was it safe for the gang to just watch him?

Zuko wrapped an arm around Mai's frame subconsciously and watched as Aang—finally snapping out of his trance—stepped in front of Katara and extended his glider defensively. "We've fought enough with your son—leave now, if you know what's best for you." He said; his tone calm but burning with an inner determination.

The man seemed taken aback; he blinked several times in an attempt to shove the shock away from his face before finally answering. "I'm not here to fight you, young Avatar." He said in a soft, apologetic tone. "I'm here to help you stop Kyan."

The group looked at him, perplexed, before Sokka finally decided to ask what everyone had been thinking. "Stop _who_?"

The man smiled faintly, as if realizing that they couldn't possibly understand what he meant. "My son—his real name is Kyan, not Panther." No one missed the way the man caressed his son's name lovingly yet bitterly.

Zuko looked at the old man and remembered the time he had been in his place, seeking the Avatar's trust after years of hunting him down. He could now see that it was almost impossible to trust someone who was considered to be an enemy—yet Aang had done it; he had trusted him. "I think we should listen to what he has to say." He suggested.

Sokka's mouth fell open. "What? Are you kidding me?" He shouted. "Do you honestly expect us to let him in and offer him a cup of tea? For all we know, huàn members could be lurking in the corners!"

"Shut up!" Toph exclaimed in an attempt to stop her friend's flow of words. "He's alone and he's telling the truth."

Being naturally suspicious, Sokka wasn't yet convinced. "Maybe he's just a good liar." He pointed out, remembering Azula's prowess at lying. Turning back to Panther's father, who watched the whole incident without interfering, he eyed him from head to toe. "Say something weirdly unbelievable."

The man's brow furrowed in confusion. "Uhh…um—"

"Don't mind him." Toph said and the man smiled gratefully. "I think it's safe to let him in."

Zuko stared at the man for a long minute, making sure that he didn't carry any weapons. Even though he had been in the same position two years ago, he still didn't know how much he could trust him. The others, however, didn't voice any refusal—despite their tense stances—so he stepped aside reluctantly to let the man pass.

The group led the older man towards the living room—eyeing him suspiciously through the whole way—and motioned for him to sit on one of the green, scattered cushions around the low table. Smiling thankfully, the man obeyed and—after some hesitation—the others followed suit. The comfortable material of the pillows felt absolutely ironic in comparison with the burden they had been forced to carry.

Silence filled the room once again, until the man finally decided to speak. "I know that you can't trust me—especially after everything my son has put you through." His eyes flickered apologetically to Mai, who had kept silent through the whole encounter. "But I intend no harm. I'm only here to give you valuable information."

When Mai spoke, her voice was wry and bilious, betraying none of the curiosity and suspicion she felt. "Why?"

The man smiled remorsefully and folded his hands on the table—an attempt to show them that he meant no harm. The decision to betray his son was one of the hardest ones he had to make throughout his life. Kyan was the only family the man had known for the last eighteen years. He had devoted his whole life to bringing him up and turning him into an honorable man. For some years, he was sure that his son had ridden himself of his hatred. But his recent visit made him realize that his son was _trapped_; trapped in a life full of hatred and rancor. As a caring father, who loved his only left child with every fiber of his being, he decided that he had to be the one that would release him.

"I think I should start from the beginning." Kyan's father whispered, realizing just how hard reminiscing _this_ story would be. "If you heard our story, maybe you'd be convinced." He paused, waiting for the others to reject or accept his words. But all they did was staring at him with those suspicious—and now curious—eyes.

"My name is Shan." He said after realizing that he wouldn't get any answer. "Eighteen years ago, my wife and I lived in a small village in the Earth Kingdom. I loved her—a lot. I was twenty-five and already had three children. Kyan and two girls—twins." As he spoke, his eyes were slightly unfocused, looking through the group, as if he were in a different place. A small smile played at the edge of his lips and the gang could tell that it had been a while since he had recalled those memories. It was as if he didn't speak to them anymore. "We were happy. One morning, Kyan and I went away—I had promised him that I'd take him to see the floppy bunnies. He was ecstatic."

For one moment, the group could see the image before them. They forgot the real Kyan and saw the child behind him—a child full of life, which was taken away from him so violently. They felt a twinge of sympathy and pity for the boy's fate, being fully aware how this war had made him suffer.

"That was the day the Fire Nation troops invaded my village." Shan continued; his voice darkened and he closed his eyes as if the memory was too painful to recall. "We saw smoke and we ran back. The whole place was in flames. I tried, I really did but I couldn't save them. Kyan tried, too; he was just a little boy but he tried to help. That's when he lost his leg. He's not evil; he has just lost his way."

Zuko could relate to that. For a moment, he almost felt understanding and compassionate, but then he remembered those midnight eyes, leering at Mai and all sympathetic thoughts left his mind. "We do understand the pain you and your son have been through, but I'm sure you're not here to just tell the story."

"True." Shan nodded. "I'm quite positive that you don't know where Kyan is at the moment."

Shan was right, but the gang would never admit something of such importance to someone they couldn't yet trust, especially when that someone was the enemy's father. "That's none of your business." Mai pointed out.

The man ignored her words. "I think that I can help you find him."

Toph raised an eyebrow. "You're going to rat out your own son? Why?"

"Kyan thinks that revenge will disburden him of the hate." Shan explained. "But he's wrong. If he manages to kill the Fire Lady and take the throne, he'll feel just as empty and soon enough he'll regret it. He'll fill his life with self-pity and self-hatred. I don't want this for him. I want him to finally _see_."

Katara remembered once again the time when she and Zuko had gone after the man that took her mother away. She remembered the way she'd been sure that killing him would make her pain go away and she recalled the moment when she realized that Aang's words were right: revenge doesn't solve anything. Subconsciously, her fingers caressed the blue necklace that hung around her neck. "That… makes sense."

"How do we know this is not a trap?" Sokka inquired, stroking his chin in thought.

"Well, I _could_ say once again that the guy isn't lying, but I don't think it'll convince you." Toph pointed out, suppressing the urge to smack the young warrior. Sure, _she_ was suspicious too but, unlike Sokka, could wait till she heard the whole story.

"Kyan and two of his friends came to my house this morning, seeking shelter to form a plan." The man continued, hoping that, by giving them more information, he could gain their trust.

"Raven and Bear." Mai guessed.

"That's how he called them." Shan confirmed. "When I refused, they left and said that they'd go to Raven's house—I followed them there. It's not far from my own."

Zuko's head snapped up. "So, you're saying that you can take us there?"

"Yes." Shan nodded.

The gang considered the option for a while. On one hand, if they chose not to trust Shan, they'd be back to the beginning: searching pointlessly for Panther's hideout. One the other hand, if they followed Shan to Raven's house, they'd either risk being caught in a well-played trap or find more clues about the huàn and their next move.

"So, what do we do?" Suki asked.

No one agreed but no one refused, either. Sokka was still looking at him with narrowed eyes, hi mistrust being evident in every feature of his handsome face. But, overall, they all just kept silent, not sure what the best way to proceed was. Was the fact that Panther's father offered them clues when they were completely clueless incidental; just a coincidence? Or was there another plan behind his unexpected appearance?

"So, we just follow him?" Katara guessed, her tone tending to be more surprised than disapproving.

"What other choice do we have?" Aang muttered.

To that, no one knew the answer.

****oOo****

For a spring night, the air was unusually cold and chilly, making the gang shiver. They had all dressed back in the black, leather clothes that came in handy when it came to going incognito. Even though they hoped that this wouldn't turn into a fight, they were all fairly equipped. Knives, swords, boomerangs and fans all being in place, they followed Shan's lead into the darkness.

He'd said that Raven's house was in the Middle Ring, destroyed after Azula's 'visit' in Ba Sing Se. No one was sure what they'd do when they found Panther and his team—Shan had mentioned that Bear was hurt—if this wasn't a trap. One thing they knew for certain: all three of them would be very tired from the last fight and devastated from the day's events. If they managed to capture Panther, it'd be after a small, unequal fight. Having left Yan behind and not being sure if Shan would stand up against his own son, they estimated that it'd be seven versus three.

When they finally reached Raven's house, the night was pitch black and the stars—that had previously seemed comforting to Mai and Zuko—glared down at them, twinkling mockingly.

The house was destroyed, but not as much as the gang expected. The walls were still standing, despite some major cracks on the stone bricks. The roof had fallen in, revealing the metal bars and wood sticks that used to support it. The door was still intact, swinging on a rusted hinge and the only thing moving was a torn, grey curtain, waving at them through a window.

"Is that it?" Aang asked, his tone bearing a hidden disbelief.

Shan nodded, confident. "Yes."

"Are you sure?" Toph inquired, planting her feet on the hard ground in order to get a better look at her surroundings. "There's no one in there."

The man's brow furrowed and he took some steps closer to the house, cocking his head as if he could take a look inside. "It can't be. They were here a few hours ago." His voice sounded surprised, and there was a hint of an apology accompanying his tone. "Are you sure that there's no one in there?"

Toph nodded. "If there was, I'd feel the vibrations." She shrugged. "But it doesn't hurt to check, I guess."

As Toph had predicted, the house was utterly empty. Only some dusted furniture decorating some corners were the only things indicating that someone had actually lived here a long time ago. There was nothing giving away the presence of Panther and his companions and, for one brief moment, the gang wondered whether they had been tricked.

"They left." Mai breathed, suppressing the urge to _smash_ something out of anger. For a girl who had never had a tendency to show her irritation, this was something extreme. Zuko rubbed soothing circles on her lower back, despite his own frustration.

"They must have formed a plan." Shan agreed, shaking his head in sadness. "He must have found another hideout—they're probably in the tunnel by now, gathering their forces."

"No problem." Toph shrugged with a usual dose of overconfidence and cockiness. "Let's go to the tunnel and kick some butts."

"Do you believe we'd _stand a chance?_" Zuko seethed, running a hand trough his unruly hair in frustration. "They're _thousands_ of them down there, probably expecting another visit of ours!"

Aang sighed and rubbed his forehead in thought. "I can't _believe_ this is happening. They always seem to be a step ahead of us! No matter how close we get, we're always too late."

Interlacing her fingers through his, Katara gave his hand a supportive squeeze. "Back to Iroh's again, then."

****oOo****

Back at Iroh's mansion, the group felt like they'd been through the same situation many times: Sokka was pacing up and down, Mai was frowning, Zuko glared at everything, Katara and Aang were comforting each other, Suki was quiet, while Toph was in a perfectly relaxed position, determined not to let her frustration get to her. They had decided to keep Shan in the house as well, still not trusting him enough to let him wander around. For all they knew, he could inform Panther about their plans—that is if they _had_ any.

"This is so… _pathetic_." Katara finally mumbled, the heavy silence making her feel all the weaker.

Toph stretched her legs on the table, crossing her bare feet at her ankles. "You mean the fact that he escaped once again or the fact that we have no plan?"

Katara sighed and snuggled closer to Aang for support. "Both."

From next to her, Suki watched her boyfriend pace up and down Iroh's living room, his palms—flat against each other—were in front of his mouth as he was deep in thought and his lips quivered, whispering words the others couldn't hear. The Kyoshi warrior rolled her eyes. While everyone was trying to think of a plan, Sokka was always the most inventive. He felt like he let everyone down when he couldn't come up with an idea. "Sokka, stop—" The redhead began, only to be interrupted by her lover, who raised a hand to silence her.

"_Shh!_" He hissed. "I'm thinking."

Mai scoffed. "Yeah, we kinda got the idea."

"What's the point?" Aang groaned. "We're stuck!"

The Water Tribe warrior shook his head frantically. "No, I think I got something." He said and his eyes darted towards Zuko. "I'm just not sure about _someone's_ reaction."

"Just spit it out, Sokka." Zuko said, rolling his eyes.

"Okay, so…" The young swordsman took a deep breath and started explaining. "Panther left his shelter, so that means he has already found another hideout and reorganized his men." He paused. "What we need is to find that hideout, correct?" He paused, as the others nodded in confirmation. "Now, we all know that the huàn have spies everywhere. And we also know that the thing they want the most is Mai."

Zuko narrowed his good eye and leaned protectively towards Mai's body. The feeling in his stomach indicated that the plan Sokka had formed wasn't going to be something he'd like. "Where are you getting at, Sokka?"

"Well, say that Mai, hypothetically speaking, went for a walk in the city alone. If the spies saw her, wouldn't they jump at the opportunity to capture her and take her to Panther?"

Zuko tensed and his arms wrapped themselves around his wife in a death grip. "_No!_" He snarled. "No!"

Mai placed a soft, reassuring hand on his. "Zuko, let's just consider it for a moment—"

Zuko's eyed her as if she had grown a third head. "There's _nothing_ to consider."

Sokka took a step closer. "I know that it's hard for you, buddy, but just hear me out."

Zuko gritted his teeth. "I'm not going to use her as _bait!_" He protested. "They want her _dead_, Sokka. _Dead!_ Would you do it if it were Suki?"

Mai raised her copper eyes to look into his amber ones. "It may be the only way, honey." The sweet, persuasive tone would have, otherwise, worked on him if he weren't completely repulsed by the thought.

"Mai." He said softly, wrapping his hands around her wrists tenderly. "_No._" Zuko was fully aware of the fact that the young knife-thrower was more than capable of protecting herself from danger. She was the strongest and most undependable woman he'd ever met, but just _thinking_ what could happen to her ripped his soul out and made him sick to the core.

"She wouldn't go alone—some of us would follow. They'd take us to their lair and we'd rescue her before Panther killed—" Sokka stopped abruptly, seeing Zuko wince at the word he was about to say.

Zuko was shaking his head before Sokka had a chance to finish. "What if they don't take her to Panther? What if they kill her on the spot? Have you considered _that_ or did you just not _care_?" He immediately regretted his harsh words, but was too out of his mind to apologize.

Sokka, knowing his friend's temper, wasn't offended. "I'm pretty sure that Panther wants to kill her with his own hands, especially after the humiliating fight last night. But even if they _do_ try, we'll be there. Nothing will happen to her."

Zuko huffed and pinched the bridge of his nose. With his sudden anger subsiding, he could now think more reasonably. While his mind screamed that this was a crazy idea, there was a small voice in the back of his head reminding him that it might be the only way to save her from death. "I'm not risking it."

Aang, who had remained silent throughout the whole incident, decided to speak. The young Avatar had already put himself in Zuko's place and knew that he'd never risk Katara's safety no matter what. But he had to try to convince him, regardless. "Zuko—"

Zuko raised his eyes to meet his, his expression almost pleading. "No, Aang. I—I can't do this."

Mai sighed. "Don't _I_ have a say in this?"

Zuko took a deep breath through the nose, as if he were meditating, to calm himself down. "Of course." He nodded and motioned for her to speak.

Mai shrugged. "We don't really have any alternatives, Zuko. We have to find him and this is the only way. If you have a better idea, then let us know."

He stared at her and she stared back, none of them looking away for some seconds. "Can I talk to you privately?" He asked curtly, almost irritably, although both he and she knew that he wasn't angry with her. But the whole situation was stressing him out.

Mai nodded and let him drag her to the balcony. "What are you doing?" He hissed once they were alone.

"Be reasonable, Zuko."

"I _am_ being reasonable. This is just _crazy_!"

Mai raised a perfect eyebrow. "I _can_ do it, Zuko. Don't you trust me?" She challenged.

"I do trust you." He answered without missing a beat. "But I'm scared, Mai. Panther's not too different than Azula"

"I handled Azula just fine." She reminded him. Placing a delicate hand on his cheek, she said more seriously: "It'll be fine. I won't be alone. You'll just be some feet away."

Zuko took some minutes, weighing his options. It wasn't easy to make that decision, but eventually he agreed. "Okay. But if anything happens to you, I swear—"

Mai placed two fingers over his soft lips, stopping the flow of words. "It'll be fine." She vowed and rested her head on his chest, as he wrapped two strong arms around her frame, enjoying the little moment they managed to get alone.

****oOo****

After Zuko's reluctant agreement, he, Sokka and Aang formed the details of the plan. It was finally decided that, once Mai was caught, the boys would follow her and the huàn members through the rooftops.

Katara objected, claiming that they'd have to do it together, but Zuko pointed out that—if they all went—it'd be too difficult to hide. However, numbers was something they needed, so they agreed that Suki would go with them and—once the location of the hideout was found—she'd run back to get the others.

It was a good thing that none of them had changed out of their black, leather clothing. For the second time that night, they needed to blend in the shadows. Mai, however, was forced into a green tunic to make the story more believable—no one went for a stroll wearing black leather.

Zuko tried to block her from view, since the bright color of her clothes could give her away. The night was still chilly and Mai snuggled closer to her husband. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and enhanced his heat in an attempt to warm her. For one second, the thought that this could be the last moment he'd see her crossed his mind, but he quickly shoved it aside. _Mai _is_ going to make it. _He said to himself. _She's smart and strong. And I'll be close, I'd never let anything happen to her._

Mai felt the tension of Zuko's muscles but didn't say anything. She felt proud that she could be useful instead of the 'damsel in distress'. For so long, she felt like she'd been chased to be killed. Now it was her turn not to play fair.

The group followed the dark alleys of the Upper Ring of Ba Sing Se, where Iroh's house and tea shop were located. They weren't sure if the place had any huàn members. But they _were_ everywhere, including among the high class population. They decided not to risk it, so they walked to the Middle Ring, where criminality wasn't so well-handled.

They arrived at the market district of the Middle Ring, from what they could tell, unnoticed. The place was quiet and no one was around as most of the people were fast asleep. The group still stood by the shadows of the alley but they could see the usually busier street.

"Are you ready?" Zuko whispered to Mai, his arm tightening around her frame as if hoping he could hold her there. "You don't have to do this, you know. We can find another way and—"

Mai placed a finger on his warm lips. "I _want_ to do it. I'll be fine."

Her courage made him proud. Burying a gloved hand in her raven, silk hair, he pulled her closer to his chest—so close that he could feel her heart beating against his. "If it gets too much, if they hurt you—call my name and I'll be there." He whispered brokenly. "Promise me."

Mai smiled and nodded in his chest. "I promise." She murmured. "Stick to the plan, Zuko. For me."

The young Fire Lord nodded, although he wasn't sure if he could stick to the plan when they'd drag her to Panther. It felt like he was pushing her to her own death and his heart screamed in protest. "I love you." He whispered in her ear. "Come back to me, okay?"

Mai sighed at his goodbye. He was acting like this was the last time he'd see her. "Love you too." She whispered, taking a step back so she could see his face. She tilted her head back and crushed her lips on his forcefully. For once, Sokka didn't make any wry comments.

Zuko caressed his wife's cheek with his knuckles tenderly. "Be careful." He held tighter for one moment before loosening his grip.

"You too." She said, before letting go off his fingers and stepping out of the shadows.

**Hello, everyone! I'm back! Yay!**

**I'm so sorry for the late update. Sometimes, I see how often some people update and I feel horrible! I'm now working on a request I got—I'm still trying to figure out its plot.**

**I officially decided that this story will end before the final battle. School is just a month away and I want this story to be over before then. **

**Some of you may think that this chapter is a bit out of character, but for some weird reason, I think it's not. I also noticed that I forgot Momo again and I just feel so awful!**

**I also want to thank **_**NinjaKick**_** for being an awesome beta!**

**Thanks everyone for still reading this story and double thanks to everyone who reviews. Reviews are the only real feedback and the only reward for my work. Even those of you that don't like something should review. How am I supposed to get better if I don't know what I'm doing wrong? Besides, my aim is 100 reviews, remember?**

**Thanks again to everyone and please review. Extra super please with a cherry on top? Check out the poll on my profile as well!**

**So, review everyone, and watch out for elbow leeches! Those nasty things like to cling to your elbows!**

**~Dora.**


	16. Chapter 16

It didn't take long for the huàn members to realize that the woman standing in the street was the Fire Lady, the woman their leader wanted assassinated. They imagined all the possibilities of what they would gain if they were the ones that brought her to him. Smiling in mischief, one of them made for her, but was stopped but a gloved hand gripping his shoulder and pulling him back in the shadows.

"Let go!" He hissed, shrugging out of his companion's hand. "What are you _doing_? This is our chance!"

The other one shook his head. "Doesn't it seem strange to any of you that she'd risk coming out here alone in the middle of the night?"

His companions looked at him, perplexed. "Team Avatar's been searching for clues. It only makes sense that she'd come here—probably meeting with someone to get information."

"Even if that's true, shouldn't we wait until we see what's happening?"

The man rolled his eyes. "And lose our only opportunity of capturing her? _No_."

After some hesitation, the suspicious one nodded. "Fine; but if anything happens, you take the blame."

"Be reasonable, Hawk. We're about to have some fun here."

Sighing, Hawk nodded and shoved his worries to the back of his head. Weapons already drawn and black hoods over their heads, the four men stepped out of their hiding place, towards their 'unsuspecting' victim.

Mai clutched a knife tightly in her palm, almost drawing blood. She wasn't afraid—she'd been looking forward for a rematch since the humiliating fight back in North Pole. However, she still wasn't certain if their enemies would bite the bait. The whole scene did seem suspicious—who went for a walk alone at this hour of the night? Knowing the huàn, however, she imagined that they'd risk everything to have her killed. The thought brought a small smirk to her face. _Let them think that they can kill me,_ she thought. _They're not the only ones not playing fair here._ From the corner of her eye, she could see Zuko along with Aang, Suki and Sokka, climbing on the nearest rooftop. Despite the situation she was in, she felt safe knowing that her husband was just some feet away.

She heard rather than saw the four figures that moved behind her, trying to catch her off guard. She waited for them to get closer before she'd turn around. When she was sure that they were within the right distance, she whirled and let her blade fly past them—not quite touching anyone. That was the gang's plan; she'd pretend fighting to make the story more convincing.

"Now, now," One of the cooed, taking one step closer. Mai stood her ground. "Let's be rational here."

Mai fought the smirk that threatened to appear on her face and, instead, raised a perfect, black eyebrow mockingly.

"It's four versus one, _my Lady_." The guy sneered, gesturing towards the rest of his team behind him to emphasize his point. "Do you really think that fighting is wise?" His voice was harsh and gruff; the kind of voice that would come from someone with a sore throat. If she concentrated, Mai could hear a hint of an accent that made her wonder about his origins. His tone oozed with over confidence and enjoyment, as if this was a friendly meeting.

Mai felt confident, too. She rolled her eyes in frustration, hoping that they couldn't see the little movement in the dark. Under other circumstances, she's point out that she could take all of them down with a couple of knives. But, tonight, the only way she and her companions would win was if she _lost_ that battle.

Thinking about it quickly, she threw another shuriken star towards a man. This one grazed his shoulder, slicing the black fabric and revealing a piece of pale skin. Mai wasn't sure, but she thought she could see the black ink of the circle-shaped tattoo on his arm.

The man's eyes darted towards the torn leather and then back to Mai. He let a small, crooked smile curve his lips upwards before attacking.

* * *

On the rooftops, Sokka and Aang had to wrap their arms around Zuko to stop him from going down there. He struggled with their grip. This was just unbearable. Even though he knew that Mai _was_ able to defend herself and _was_ supposed to get captured, he still couldn't control his protective instinct. It just felt _wrong_. Did they expect him to just _watch_ as his wife was fighting four, highly-capable men?

"Calm down, buddy," Sokka whispered in an attempt to appease his friend. "She'll do fine."

"_I_ _know!_" Zuko hissed. "But still…"

"I understand." Sokka nodded. "But they bought the story, so _please_ don't spoil it?" He squeezed Zuko's shoulder in a supportive and firm gesture.

Zuko grunted quietly. "Fine."

* * *

Down in the street, the fight was still going on. Mai was annoyed with pretending she couldn't pin them down. To people that knew her, this would sound ridiculous. The black-haired woman's aim was _perfect_. It took everything she had not to _truly_ fight and let the chips fall where they may.

Tossing another shuriken star towards a hooded man, she sighed. _It missed; what a surprise, _she thought dryly, before ducking so she'd avert another swing of her enemy's sword. _Just a couple of more minutes and then I'll give up. _

She sighed in relief when those minutes finally passed. She was on the verge of actually _teaching_ those men how to fight. They were four of them and she wasn't even _trying_, for Agni's sake.

_How long does it take to catch a willing victim that's not even fighting back?_ She sighed again and her hands skimmed over her holsters, as she pretended running out of knives. "Damn it," She muttered under her breath and watched as two of the men, smiling mischievously, neared her. She didn't fight them when they wrapped their gloved fingers around her wrists and not even when they tied them behind her back. Frowning for effect, she let them think they won.

Her captors snickered in pride, as they dragged her towards the dark alley they had come from. Their hands gripped tightly on her forearms, hard enough to bruise, but she didn't care. All she wanted was to finally stop the organization, even if it meant she'd get hurt. Besides, she'd be lucky if she got out with only some bruises.

"Where are you taking me?" She asked, her voice dripping with disgust. Asking that question would make the story more believable and confirm the fact that their plan actually worked.

The man on her right threw his head back and let out a sadistic laugh, which would make any other person shiver in fear. Mai, however, wasn't affected. "We're going to pay Panther a visit. He'll be… _delighted_ to see you."

She lowered her head to hide her triumphant smile. Did the rest of the gang hear this? Glancing upwards, she thought she saw the four figures moving stealthily on the roof tiles, expertly blending in with the shadows. It was a good thing that her captors were too self-absorbed and overconfident to notice that they were being watched. _Some spies you are, _Mai thought as the men pushed her forward.

"Keep moving!" One of them growled at her, even though she hadn't stopped. Rolling her eyes, she quickened her pace.

* * *

It took Zuko all he had not to go down there and take Mai away. He knew that this would be difficult, but it was much more than that. It was _painful_. The young Fire Lord had, however, promised his wife that he'd stick to the plan and that was the only thing that kept him on the rooftops.

"It's working." Sokka sighed in relief. Even though he knew that his plan was risky, he felt quite proud and excited. If this worked, then this would be over sooner than they had expected.

"What if there are too many of them and we can't take them down?" Suki inquired.

"The tunnel was filled with thousands of huàn members," Zuko pointed out. "Panther would never risk moving such great numbers to his new hideout. They'd draw too much attention. My guess is that he probably took his most capable men to his new lair."

"That makes sense." Aang nodded. "He's probably going to move the rest of them little by little."

"Even if that's the case, Mai's still in danger." Zuko sighed. "I should have never agreed with this. What was I _thinking_?"

"Oh, stop whining!" Sokka hissed. "She's obviously enjoying herself."

Zuko looked at the young swordsman with a look of pure disgust and incredulousness. "Yeah, I'm sure that risking her life was something she always wanted!"

Suki glared at her boyfriend and, even though it was too dark to see it, he felt her intense eyes on him. "Don't worry, Zuko," The Kyoshi Warrior whispered. "I'll make sure he doesn't say anything stupid again."

Zuko nodded thankfully and followed the five figures in silence.

As time passed, the air seemed to get colder and colder, something very unusual for a spring night in Ba Sing Se. Zuko wished he could be next to Mai right now and push the chill away. But all he could do was jump from roof to roof.

Mai, however, didn't really feel the frost. She was concentrating on memorizing the way, as the spies forced her to take some turns in alleys that she couldn't even see. She suddenly felt tired—so much had happened that night that she couldn't even remember some events with detail. She had just started feeling her muscles burning due to her tied position, when her captors ceased walking.

They had stopped in front of what looked like an apothecary. It was made out of tarnished wood. A rackety sign swung over a half-broken door—which was wrapped in chains that looked strikingly new—the letters being so faded that Mai couldn't read it at all. It gave her the impression that the building was old and hadn't been used for a while. Looking around, she noticed that it was surrounded by more worn-out stores. A blacksmith's was resting just some feet away, two rusted swords decorating its door and a closed jewelry shop still had some cheap, fake golden pieces on a battered market-stall. They looked so distasteful that no one bothered to steal them.

Mai turned back to the apothecary. From the corner of her eye, she could still see her companions duck on a nearby rooftop and she mentally hoped that _this_ building was in better shape than the rest of the stores. Otherwise they'd soon be toppling downwards. One of her captors stepped forward and pushed a hand into his cloak. He fumbled for some seconds and, finally finding what he was looking for, pulled his fingers out. Mai saw a key gleam in his grip. As the spy unlocked the chains, she wondered whether the huàn truly believed that chains could hold Team Avatar back. _The apothecary is just a cover up,_ she guessed. _Just like Yan's house used to be._

The door creaked, making a shrill, spine-tingling sound; like nails on a chalkboard. Mai almost shuddered as her captors pushed her in.

The room where they stood now was small and dank. It smelt musty and there was the barest hint of antiseptics hanging on the air. A debilitated, wooden counter stood by a dusty corner. Some tiny bottles, with liquid that had long gone off, stood on some grubby shelves, the odor that they gave off made Mai nauseous. A huge, torn poster saying something about health hung behind the counter. The walls had suffered some major cracks and were dotted with moss, making Mai wonder what had exactly happened to the place.

"Ah, beautiful place, isn't it?" One of the cloaked figures sighed, pulling his hood back. His face was still covered by the shadows, but Mai could make out its rough lines. She watched as he moved behind the counter and tugged on the poster carefully, revealing a brick-built door. If she squinted her eyes, the young knife-thrower could just distinguish a small dent curved on each brick. Realizing that the team still used the totems, she got worried—how would Zuko and the others follow her inside?

She heard the click of the totem being pushed on the small hole. The sound that followed reminded her of the sound she produced while whetting her knives or swords and she guessed that the door was moving. The two men pushed her behind the counter carelessly, causing her to bump her hip on its corner, and through the door, into a dark hall. It was only being lighted by wooden torches that hung on its walls. There were various doors on each side, but the spies pushed her towards the one at the end of the hall—it bore dents similar to those in the tunnel.

The door slid shut behind them with a loud booming noise.

* * *

Outside the ruined building, the gang was still waiting on the rooftop. Suki had already left to bring the others. Even though the initial plan required that the boys waited till the rest arrive, Zuko didn't quite agree. The way was long and it would take their friends a considerable amount of time to get here, providing Panther just enough time to finish Mai off.

"Look," Sokka started, seeing his fire-bending friend fidgeting in worry. "Let's just wait some more minutes."

The young Fire Lord shook his head. "No," he stated softly. "I'm not waiting any longer. I'm going in."

He didn't wait for the others to voice their agreement or refusal. Gripping the edge of the roof, he swung himself off and jumped down. His black boots crushed onto the cracked ground, raising a cloud of dust and soil. Brushing it off his black clothes, he made for the apothecary.

"Zuko, wait," Aang hissed from behind him. "We're coming, too."

Without slowing his pace, Zuko nodded. It seemed like the spies hadn't bothered to put the chains back on and they now lay by his feet. Zuko kicked them out of the way and their jingle echoed in the isolated place. Taking a deep breath, he pushed the door open. It creaked, loud enough to alert anyone in the room, had it not been empty. The three boys weren't surprised; they had expected that the apothecary was just a cover up.

"Do you think there's a tunnel under this thing or something?" Sokka asked, inspecting the small vials on the shelves. Reaching out, he opened the lid of one bottle and took a whiff, before quickly putting it back. "Eww!"

"No," Zuko answered. Moving behind the counter, he examined the dents on the door that the spies hadn't bothered to cover either. "Look at that—they still use the totem system."

Aang came closer and put a steady hand on the stone-made door. "Step aside, I'll bring it down."

"Aang, wait," Zuko hissed, placing a restraining hand on the young monk's shoulder. The Avatar looked at the fire-bender questioningly. Zuko just shrugged. Pushing a hand inside his shirt, he pulled out the black totem he had taken last night, when he had knocked unconscious one of Panther's men in the tunnel. That night seemed far away now. The totem was curved into the shape of a lizard. Scanning the small holes quickly, his eyes fell on the right one and he pushed the totem in. The door trembled, before sliding open.

Without wasting any more time, Zuko and the others ran into the dark hall. "If you brought it down, it'd make a lot of noise. We still need to go by unnoticed." He explained, as the door slid shut behind them.

* * *

_The day was unsurprisingly hot and humid. The sun shone upon the small village, its rays making the citizens sweat as they struggled with their daily chores. The small boy felt his hand getting damp inside his mother's palm as they walked in the market, but he didn't really care. He walked cautiously, careful not to bump into her as they strode. His eyes took in once again his mother's stomach. It was profound, even under her buggy, green clothes. The blonde boy felt the urge to put his hand over it once again._

"_When is the baby coming, mommy?" He asked, raising his head to look to his mother's face._

_The young woman smiled, her brown eyes lightening up. "Soon, Kyan, I promise," She said. _

"_Do you think the baby will like me?"_

"_Of course, sweetie. You're going to be an amazing brother." The woman encouraged. "Be patient, Kyan, you'll have a whole, happy lifetime with the baby." The woman raised her hand to the boy's head and caressed through his blonde locks tenderly. "I promise."_

Panther's eyes snapped open, damp from remembering his past life. He was surprised to find himself in his new lair. He didn't have a throne room here—the place was just too small for that. He was surrounded by some of his men—the ones he'd managed to move out from the tunnel. Finding a new hideout had proved to be quite challenging. After realizing that staying in Raven's house was impossible, Panther proceeded to find a place for his new 'headquarters'. It took some questioning his men, but soon enough he discovered a small apothecary that used to belong to a member's wife. After her death, it hadn't been used. Having plenty of empty space behind it, it was just perfect for Panther. Team Avatar was still searching and he needed a place to make his next move.

_You were so wrong, mother,_ he thought. _So wrong._

"Sir," Raven murmured, approaching his leader. "Could I have a word?"

Panther raised his left eyebrow questioningly, but motioned for his companion to sit at the chair across him. Smiling politely, Raven obeyed.

"Go on," Panther urged, folding his gloved hands on the table.

"I just wanted to thank you sir, for bringing my son here with your other men." Raven's eyes darted towards the thirteen-year-old boy that sat among the men, laughing at their jokes, even though he couldn't get most of them.

"Don't be so soft, Raven," Panther said and, even though his voice was firm, his lips bore a smile. "He's your family; he had to be safe. It was the least I could do."

Raven smirked. "Who's being soft now?"

Panther let out a muffled laugh. Then his expression got serious. "Besides, all of this—" He gestured around, indicating the room. "—is temporary."

"You have a plan, sire?" Raven guessed.

The blonde man nodded. "If they don't find us here," He began, his black eyes gleaming. "Then they'll have to separate again. The Fire Lord and the Fire Lady will have to go back to the Fire Nation. When they do, we'll build something bigger and we'll strike again. I'll have men capture her the first minute that he leaves her alone."

Raven nodded, knowing that he was going to be amongst those men. "And if they do find us here?"

Panther thought about this for a minute. "We fight them—there's no other way."

That was when he heard the familiar click of the totem being pushed inside the dent of the room's door. It opened slowly, its base dragging across the floor. The screeching sound echoed in the small room, interrupting any small talk.

Panther turned his head and his black eyes widened in the sight. He tried to cover his shock and inner joy he felt when he saw the woman he'd been after captured by four of his spies. Standing up hastily yet gracefully, he strode towards the small group that had just entered. "Well, well," He cooed, smiling crookedly. "If it isn't the Fire Lady. To what do I owe this honor?"

Mai glared at him, sick at the sweet talk. "Just spit it out, already."

Panther raised a perfect eyebrow with false curiosity. "Why, I don't seem to understand what you mean, my Lady." His black eyes blazed as he looked at her, challenging her to say something more. "Join me for a drink?" He suggested lightly, motioning towards a table.

"And get poisoned?" Mai scoffed dryly. "No, thanks."

Panther would have loved to stay there and converse with her, but he had to learn the details of her capture. Turning his eyes towards the spies, his expression turned business-like. "Hound," He acknowledged, nodding towards the man that was obviously the leader. "I'm waiting."

"We found her in the Middle Ring of Ba Sing Se, sir. She was completely alone."

Mai looked down to hide her smirk. _If only you knew._

Panther looked at Hound then back at her in doubt. "Are you sure? He'd never leave her alone in this hour of the night!"

Mai was surprised. It seemed that Panther was quite observant. He had Zuko right on the spot.

"We believe that it was some sort of… a secret meeting, sir."

"Interesting…" Panther sighed. "What should we do with you?"

"Go on—it's not like you've never dreamt of this moment," Mai urged. She knew that she was pushing her luck, but she had to make the story believable and distract Panther till the others came.

"Oh, believe me, I have," Panther assured her, pulling his blade out of its sheath and examining it. "I just want to watch his _face_ as I get this over with. I want to see the terror and the pain in his eyes."

Mai tried to control her breathing. If he looked closely, he would see cracks on her indifferent, emotionless mask. She had to stay expressionless if she wanted to make this work. _Come on, Zuko, where are you?_ "Is that because you watched as your mother died, Kyan?" Mai knew that this subject was personal and very painful for him. Under other circumstances she wouldn't have mentioned it, but she had to distract him; she had to gain time.

It worked. Panther froze—his mouth agape. His expression turned into a furious one; his eyes looked as though they were on fire and his jaw clenched and unclenched as he tried to control himself. "He came to you, didn't he? He ratted his own son out."

"Only because he loves you," Mai explained. "But what do _you_ know about love?"

She had meant to distract him long enough for Zuko and the others to come, but her words seemed to push him over the edge of his previous calmness. Before she had time to register what was happening, he had his sword against the smooth skin of her neck. She could feel her veins throb against the cold steel and she held her breath, looking up into his eyes. They were pitch-black and it felt as if they were pulling her in, like a black hole. It looked like their color was swirling as he panted with anger. "You know _nothing_ about me."

Mai glared back at him. "Except for the fact that you're a killer."

Panther shook his head. "I'm not a killer. Not yet."

Mai smirked. "And you don't have to be."

Panther pressed the knife closer to her skin. "You're not exactly in the position to tell me what I have and don't have to do."

Mai was about to throw a sarcastic response right back at him, but the rather loud click of a totem being pushed in a dent interrupted her. Panther seemed to notice as well, since his eyes moved from the Fire Lady to the—now open—door behind her.

"Hands off her!" A voice that Mai recognized only too well ordered.

Panther froze again, his expression being a shocked and doubtful one, until recognition dawned in. Then his eyes lightened up. "How kind of you to join us, Fire Lord Zuko."

**So, I finally finished writing this chapter. I'm going through some sort of a writer's block, which explains why this chapter is a little bit… off. I apologize about that and the delay. I did enjoy writing the descriptions in this chapter though—I'm particularly proud of those. Anyways, I think that this chapter is pretty much a filler. It doesn't have as much tension as I'd like it to, and you probably noticed that. I'd love to keep writing and build the tension again but, as I've mentioned, I want this story over before school starts in September. Which means that it'll only be two more chapters till the end.**

**Not many people reviewed in the last chapter. Did I do something wrong?**

**By the way, Panther's an earth-bender so he can easily make those door-with-dents things. That's why his new lair was built so quickly. And, in case anyone is wondering, he's quite handsome. I just felt like I should mention that. I just LOVE Panther!**

**I want to thank my beta, NinjaKick, for being awesome at giving me ideas and correcting my mistakes. **

**I also have a one-shot (which started as a request) to finish. It should be up next week or so. Till then, feel free to request anything Maiko-oriented you'd like.**

**Thanks to everyone's who's been reading and reviewing. I would appreciate it if you wasted some minutes of your life writing a review and giving me some feedback. My aim's 100 reviews, remember?**

**Have a nice summer… it'll be over soon. Cactus juice, anyone?**

**~Dora.**


	17. Chapter 17

_**A/N:Hey, people! I know it's been a while since you last heard of me. In case anyone out there is wondering: yes, I'm still alive, just terribly busy!**_

_**I am delighted to see that there are people out there still reading my story. I'm happy to announce that this story is NOT on hiatus. I am going to finish this story as soon as I find the time. Probably around Christmas, since school is my main priority right now. I need some time to inspire myself with some A:tLA and, soon enough, I'll finish the story.**_

_**Thank you to everyone who is still faving and reviewing Through the Fire. Just... please, please, wait until Christmas.**_

_**P.S: Sorry, this is not a new chapter. Yet.**_

_**Till then, keep calm and firebend.**_

_**~Dora.**_


	18. Chapter 18

"_How kind of you to join us, Fire Lord Zuko."_

Neither Mai nor Zuko missed the way Panther's fingers twitched around the sword hilt, or the way his men moved closer to their leader defensively. The room fell silent for a few seconds; it made the hair on the back of their necks rise in what seemed to be a combination of fear and anticipation for what would surely follow. And then the blond man moved. Mai flinched slightly and so did Zuko, because they had both expected he'd just_ go for it._ But, instead, Panther just _stepped back._

The question that formed hang in the air; why? Why did he withdraw when he could easily kill her, now that his fantasy was complete?

_Probably one of his sick games,_ Mai guessed. _Another trick, no doubt._

Truth is, Sokka's plan had troubled Panther, mainly due to the fact that, despite its simplicity, it had managed to fool his men, easily surpassing their prowess. The thought baffled him, making him pause.

Zuko took advantage of that small pause to move closer to his wife. Mai heaved a sigh of relief—even though she could hardly be described as a coward, she couldn't deny the spark of fear that had turned her stomach into a knot. The proximity of her husband made it fade away.

The black-eyed man assessed the team before him, his eyes flickering to every face. _Scanning_. _Searching_ for something that none of them could understand. One corner of his mouth lifted upwards in a smirk—but it wasn't mischievous, as Team Avatar had expected. It was _impressed. _Then, Panther laughed. Not one of his usual, confident laughs, but a single, soft bark that oozed with amazement. "What an unexpected turn of things," he murmured.

Sokka groaned in complain. _"Excuse me?"_

"Your little scheme," Panther explained. "I'm impressed."And he _did_ sound impressed. For once, his tone lacked the cockiness and arrogance that the gang had grown so accustomed to.

Sokka shook his head in an attempt to get rid of his shock. "Did we walk in the wrong room?"

Zuko took one step closer to Panther—one step closer to Mai. For a moment, he seemed afraid to move or say anything; afraid that any little action could result to Panther's sword being placed over his wife's neck again. But even though his eyes followed Zuko's movements carefully, the black-eyed man seemed relaxed.

_For now,_ Zuko reminded himself. "What do you _mean_?" The young fire-bender heard himself asking, in an attempt to identify the origins of the leader's calmness.

"Funny, isn't it?" Panther scoffed and his eyes turned a little bit colder as they darted towards the four spies that brought Mai in. "I trust my most capable men—my _spies_—and they don't even _consider_ making sure that no one is following when they come to my _hideout_!" His voice had started rising, as his carbon eyes glared at his men. "Instead, they gladly lead you to our little party—how nice of them, don't you think?"

"Maybe you should stop blaming everyone but yourself," Aang advised. "It's over, Panther. Give up."

"Over?" Panther smirked. "Why, young Avatar, it hasn't even started yet." With that, he snapped his fingers—the clicking sound echoing on the stone walls—and his men drew their weapons with appalling synchronization. "Kill them all. But leave the Fire Lady alive. She's mine."

Team Avatar took a step back as the mob surrounded them menacingly. Thinking quickly of a way to win them some time, Aang created a wave of air with his glider, which pushed Panther's men back, causing some of them to fall down or crash on the walls.

"Aang, go break her chains!" Zuko hissed as the men struggled to stand up, desperate to free his wife, who was still too close to Panther. "We'll cover you."

Nodding the monk ran to the Fire Lady, glider ready to push back anyone that would dare interrupt him.

Zuko turned back to the remaining Huàn members. His dao swords flaming, he ran towards to the one man he wanted to distract most—Panther. Awaiting his assault, the blond man blocked the firebender's attack with his own blade, producing a metallic sound, like nails scratching a glass. Pulling his double blades back, Zuko cursed under his breath and ducked down to avoid one of Panther's swings. Kicking out his leg, he shot a blast towards the black-eyed man, which he diluted with a wave of his gloved hand. The Fire Lord made for him again.

Meanwhile, Sokka sweated at the effort to keep two men at bay. Shoving his knee in one's stomach, making him fall down, he knocked the other one out with the hilt of his sword. Turning back to his remaining enemy, he fought like there was no tomorrow.

Aang, having released Mai by breaking her chains with a whip of water, proceeded to help Zuko with the men that had started surrounding him. "On Zuko's belt." He reminded her as he left.

The young Fire Lady, having no weapon on her, moved to her husband's side, noticing the small knives safely strapped on his black sash. Realizing there was no time to fill her holsters; she pulled a handful of them out and placed her back against Zuko's. The firebender, putting all his muscle strength to his dao swords, pushed Panther back and onto the ground.

"How are you holding?" Mai shouted at him, as one of her shuriken stars pinned a man on the ground, but not before grazing his collarbone and staining his clothes with dark blood.

"I'm fine," Zuko breathed, his blades kicking a man unconscious, as Panther struggled to stand up. "What about you?"

She nodded. "I'm good."

The battle kept going with Panther's men falling quickly due to the team's prowess. Raven fought at his leader's side loyally with Bear trying to cause some damage, despite his injuries. Mai pulled her knives out of Zuko's belt with agility, while the young firebender tried to keep the Huàn leader's swings at bay as Aang helped Sokka fend off attacks.

The knife-thrower steadied a knife between her middle and index finger and, keeping her balance, threw it straight to a swordsman. He stared at the blade wide-eyed as it aimed for his forehead and, raising his sword as a shield a split second before the contact; he managed to reverse the knife's direction, making it point straight to the heart of an unnoticed thirteen-year-old boy that trembled in a corner.

Despite the tough fight with Panther, that was when Zuko froze as he heard Raven scream; "_Tylian! My son!"_

Everything happened in slow motion; or so it seemed.

Zuko didn't register his decision as he ran between the blade and the young child. Pushing him out of the way, he fell on the ground with the trembling boy in his arms—but not before the knife had pierced the firebender's ribs.

"_Tylian!"_

Everyone—even Panther—stopped fighting, the thought of a child dying making them look at their bloody swords with disgust as they turned their heads towards the boy. Only to see the boy safe and the Fire Lord injured.

"Zuko!" Mai ran next to her husband, kneeling beside him, as Raven did the same. The young firebender groaned in pain as his wife tried to lift his body up straight. Her apprehension was clear on her face as her hands fumbled with his tight sash. Tearing it down, she gasped in worry and bit down her sobs when she noticed how deep the cut was.

"I'm fine." He coughed, one hand covering his bloody wound and the other Mai's hand. "T-The…boy?"

"He…" Raven's voice quivered as he hugged his son tightly against his chest, the relief and gratefulness he felt apparent on his every feature. "He's alive. You saved him."

Zuko nodded weakly, glad that the boy was fine. The knife, stabbed just under his heart, hurt him too much to speak. "Mai…" he breathed.

The black-haired girl shook her head, refusing to listen to the goodbye he would sure try to say. "Katara!" She screamed. "We need Katara!"

Aang squeezed Mai's shoulder, looking down at his friend in grief for a split second. "I'll go see if she's close," he whispered and ran out of the room.

The Fire Lady stroked her husband's pale face, pushing his sweaty hair stuck on his forehead and temples out of the way. Listening to his still-beating heart, she tried to control her frantic breathing. The knife that had buried itself in his chest was _her_ knife; a blade that left _her own hand._ If anything happened to him, she would blame no one but herself, for not being more careful, for not recognizing the danger.

"_Ugh!"_ His breathless groan sounded far-off the distance to the young girl, but it was loud enough for her to flinch.

"Zuko, buddy, Katara's on the way," Sokka mumbled. "Hold on."

Seizing the great opportunity that appeared, Panther readied his sword and motioned for the others to attack. However, none of them moved. Glaring at them, Panther's eyes blazed with black fire. "What are you waiting for?!" Panther shouted. "Kill them!"

The pause that followed predisposed him of the change that would follow. The betrayal met him with a clash that left a deep scar; a scar that gave life to his anger and turned it to a frenzied rage.

"The Fire Lord saved my son," Raven whispered, the emotions flowing inside him with so much force he could hardly speak. "I—I'm not going to turn against him."

Mai looked at Zuko and his slumping eyes expressed the same question, as his breathing got more and more ragged.

Panther's fists clenched and unclenched. "But he killed his mother!" He said through gritted teeth.

"_He?_" Raven inquired. "I do not think so. Surely, Panther, even you can see that the Fire Lord poses no threat."

"That…" The leader started, his words pronounced with pure infuriation. "Is not what you used to believe."

"I know…" Raven said. "And I recognize my mistakes—I've seen proof today. Proof that I hold in my arms; safe."

"Raven is right," Bear continued. "For so long, you've been telling us that they only care about power. Power and blood. But this is not what I saw tonight."

"If you want him," Hawk said loudly, "you will have to kill us first."

The crowd, who had previously fought the Fire Lord with no mercy, now expressed their agreement with loud shouts. The trio—Sokka, Mai and an almost-unconscious Zuko—watched in awe as the remaining huàn members dropped their weapons.

"What on earth is happening?" Sokka whispered, enthralled by the unexpected turn of things.

"_That,_" Panther growled to Hawk, determined not to let them slip away from his grip, "can be arranged." He readied his stance and outstretched his hand, prepared to bring the whole stone-made room down and over their heads.

"Not today, kitten." A voice, coming from the open door, said. Before Panther had time to understand what was happening, Toph, bumping her foot on the ground, wrapped Mai's chains—that were previously resting on the floor—around Panther's body, allowing him no move.

The blond earth-bender let out a roar, as he kneeled down, unable to move or break his chains. No matter how much he twisted around, the metal-made rope was tightly bound around him.

That was when Katara and Aang rushed in. The young waterbender, spotting Zuko's body some feet away, sat herself next to him. He now was unconscious, which worried Mai even more.

"Katara?" The knife-thrower whispered brokenly, feeling her husband getting heavier in her arms as each second passed.

"He'll be okay," she assured Mai, as her hands pulled out the blade, making Zuko hiss in pain and Mai flinch. She worked the water above his chest empirically; the swirling water seemed to soothe both Zuko and his wife.

"He better be." Mai murmured, resting her forehead against his. "If you make it out of here alive, I swear I'm going to kill you."

She felt him move in her arms as he whispered; "I heard that."

He didn't have time to say anything else as her lips were on his. And he didn't care if he died right there—because she was safe, right there, kissing him and Panther was captured.

"We'll be fine," he murmured as she pulled back.

* * *

"_From Earth we raise and Earth we shall become. May Yan be remembered for his honor and courage. Do not mourn his loss, my friends, but honor his memory."_

The Earth sage's voice was a small buzz in the background and none of Team Avatar registered most of them. Yan had passed away a day after Panther's capture. His conscience was clear. No guilt filled his mind, no qualms haunted him—he had helped as much as he could and he had been proud of that.

The funeral was simple and the ceremony humble. He had been buried under the heavy soil of Earth, as imposed by the Earth Kingdom's tradition. And despite their grief, the gang felt happy for him because he finally found calmness and harmony.

Shan, Panther's father, met the gang as they were leaving Yan's tomb. He looked tired and his face looked older, more wrinkled than usual, even though it had been a day since they hadn't seen him. "Kyan…" He whispered. "Did you…" He took a deep breath. "Is he alive?"

Sokka nodded. "He's alive."

Shan closed his eyes in relief, grateful for the gang's decision. "What will happen to him?"

"He'll be taken to the Fire Nation Capitol's prison," Aang said, his hand reaching for Katara's. "There, he will have time to think."

"Yes," Shan agreed. "He will."

* * *

_**EPILOGUE**_

Back to the Fire Nation, life started getting back to normal. Zuko spent most of his time catching up with the scrolls he had missed during his journey to Ba Sing Se, but always found time for Mai—who, after insisting that the bodyguards Zuko had hired weren't necessary, was finally free to train herself, read and walk in the gardens alone.

Sokka, having decided to stay with Mai and Zuko for a little while more, spent most of his time in the kitchen, being incredibly fond of the Fire Nation cuisine, with Suki being the only thing that could take him away from his meal. Aang and Katara decided to try to find another air bison, so they set out their journey on Appa, while Toph returned back to the school she had built.

Panther had been imprisoned and would remain so until Zuko decided otherwise. His father, Shan, visited him occasionally, despite Panther's accusations of his being a traitor. After getting over his anger, Zuko realized that people can change, like he had, and, if Panther ever decided to, he would be the first to give him another chance.

Sitting by the turtle-duck pond, relaxing under the dew of the apple tree, Mai and Zuko thought that it was the continuous support from their friends and each other that kept them strong throughout their difficult quest and helped them stop their enemies. Complete selflessness was what saved them from inevitable death.

"See?" Zuko murmured. "We can do anything together."

"Yeah," Mai agreed. "I guess we can."

Placing a finger under her chin, he tilted her head upwards, his lips meeting hers with usual eagerness. Smiling against each other's mouths, they knew that, as long as they had each other, thing were okay.

-THE END-

**Yes! I'm finally back! After a long writer's block, I finally managed to finish this story. Please, do let me know what you think of it—it's the final chapter. It's unedited, but my beta is working on it, so it'll be replaced soon with the edited version.**

**It may be a little bit rushed, but I have neither the time nor the inspiration to make it better, even though I want to. I love Mai and Zuko and I'm proud that I finally managed to finish a story with them as the protagonists.**

**I feel sorry for **_**my**_** characters (a.k.a Panther and Yan). Even though one of them was evil, I really liked him. I do have a tendency to like evil characters. Haha!**

**I want to thank everyone for fav-ing and reviewing this story as well as having the patience to wait for the final chapter. Special thanks goes to NinjaKick, who edited this and many more of my stories. I also want to thank Maikoluvr because, with her being a guest, I could not thank her personally and properly.**

**Please, do check the rest of my Maiko stories if you haven't already.**

**How do you feel that this story is over? :( I feel teary-eyed.**

**Belated happy new year everyone! 2013! Like, wow!**

**So, that's all. Stay flaming, keep drinking cactus juice and, well, watching A:tLA.**

**Please review!**

**Your momoness,**

**Dora.**

**P.S I have no idea if Earth sages exist.**


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